What progress have you made since your last update?

Since our original post, New Roots Institute has participated in over 60 events in cities nationwide, collaborating with over 70 organizations. Below is just a sample of some of the events New Roots Institute fellows and staff have facilitated with our communities, fostering opportunities to collaborate, share resources, and build skills for a stronger movement:

• In March, fellow Raizzi hosted a plant-based potluck, Eat for Impact, with 40 people in attendance and serving over 25 different dishes. Following the meal, Raizzi gave a presentation on the Eat for Impact initiative and how plant-based eating helps lower environmental impacts. She has since gone on to have a month-long display in her city’s library, presented to the City Council about the initiative, and been published in three different publications. 

• Fellows Sophie and Rebecca lead the first-ever VegFest at American University in October of 2024, bringing hundreds of students and community members together to try plant-based food, learn about the impacts of factory farming, and support other local groups and vendors. 

• In September, fellow Christopher assisted with the planning and execution of the Effective Altruism Nigeria summit. The conference featured a vibrant community from diverse backgrounds talking about important topics like cage-free eggs in Africa, how to use evidence and reasoning to do the most good for animals, and much more! 

• Fellow Jaden hosted several events, including free boba with plant-based milk, a games night led by Los Angeles’s Plant Based Treaty, a teach-in at Scripps College attended by students from Pomona, Pitzer, and other nearby schools, and a tabling event to remove shrimp from Scripps’ dining hall. Jaden is also currently planning a VegFest at Pomona University. 

• Fellow Livia tabled at Fremont Union High School District, sharing the progress in her New Roots campaign for daily plant-based options in the district’s cafeterias. Livia said the following, “It was energizing conversing with so many people interested in climate change, health, and youth advocacy. Participating in an event of this scale ideated, created, and executed by students helps in imagining a future where solution-oriented minds get a seat at the table” 

• Fellow Avani hosted three Alternative Protein Project events: a tabling event to let students know about the club, a movie night screening a documentary about alternative protein, and a trivia night with McMaster Veggie Club featuring questions about factoring farming and alternative proteins. 

What are your next steps?

• We are actively working with our Research and Data Department to improve and refine both our event tracking capabilities and our student and alumni surveys. This will lead to more timely and clear data collection and insights to inform our work.

• We’re recruiting students into our upcoming Leadership Academy and expanding our network of campaign partners.

Is there anything others could help you with?

1. We still need to raise about $10,000 to support these events through the rest of the year. Please consider making a one-time or monthly donation. For any larger donations or questions about giving, please contact info@newrootsinstitute.org. 

2. Do you have an upcoming event that might align with New Roots? Have a student or advocate in your life that you’d like to connect with us? Reach out to info@newrootsinstitute.org.

Please review our strategic plan and most recent annual report and reach out to info@newrootsinstitute.org with any feedback.

@vascoamaralgrilo Thank you for your question. Feel free to also email me at monica@newrootsinstitute.org. We have not specifically encouraged New Roots Institute fellows to find roles in organizations supported by Open Philanthropy and the Animal Welfare Fund. You can get a sense of where some of our alums work on page ten of our annual report: https://24139523.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/24139523/Website/New%20Roots%20Institute%20_%202024%20Annual%20Report.pdf

Below are some of our observations regarding the need for allies in all fields.
1. Environmental organizations lack people who are effectively connecting their cause to factory farming. 

a) While climate science points to animal agriculture as a major driver of climate change, advocacy in the climate space has long failed to focus efforts on promoting plant-rich diets. 

b) Though awareness is growing, environmental groups are often resistant to dietary interventions because of entrenched social norms around animal product consumption within the groups themselves.

2. Those interested in bringing their advocacy into other professional spheres lack the skills and support to influence the people and structures in those spheres toward plant-rich diets. 
   

@Arepo Many thanks to you and your partner for the encouragement. It means a lot! I updated the summary above to include links for how we educate, recruit, train, and position. Happy to share more.

Thanks for the note @Jason! Animal Charity Evaluators has identified that we have a funding gap of $900K. I've updated the goal. Appreciate you looking out for us.

@Jason Thanks for your thoughtful question!
Animal Advocacy Careers has researched the roles that are difficult to hire for (among them leadership, IT/software, lobbying/policy) and the consequences of those bottlenecks including potential deprioritization of high-impact programs, lower quality hires leading to inefficiencies, etc. https://www.animaladvocacycareers.org/about

Additionally, there's a talent constraint at the college campus level. We've seen how critical empowering student leaders can be in shifting social norms for other movements.

More broadly, New Roots Institute doesn't push for every student to work for animal welfare non-profits. We recognize that we need leaders with an anti-factory farming lens in mission-adjacent organizations, government, and corporate spaces. Well-positioned allies have been critical for the success of initiatives in places like NYC. I'm happy to share more including our theory of change, and I do agree that animal welfare is also funding constrained.

@mikeaccardi7gmailcom Thank you so much! It means a lot.

@minthin Appreciate the distinction!

@joikarra Thanks so much! Looking forward to seeing you at EAGxBerkeley!

@laurenuram Agreed! Grateful for the opportunity to support this important work.