Livia Aschheim switched to a plant-based diet as a step toward reducing animal suffering and protecting the environment. But when the junior at Cupertino High School calculated how much greater an impact she could have by securing daily vegan dishes in her cafeteria, her focus shifted from personal choice to systemic change.

Now, thanks to Livia’s tireless advocacy over the past two years, plant-based foods will be offered at every school meal in the Fremont Union High School District this fall.

Livia began her campaign by meeting with school staff to make the case for veggie-centric dishes, citing health, climate, and inclusion benefits. 

But she faced initial resistance: concerns about price and taste of vegan options made the change feel distant.

After completing New Roots Institute's leadership development programs, Livia developed a new approach. “I was naive. I thought everyone was passionate about animals and the planet, but now I don’t even bring up these topics,” she said. “Instead, I focus on money, logistics, and making that person’s job easier. It’s not about why people are doing things; it’s about the result.”

Livia has become fond of asking decision-makers a simple question to formulate her strategy: What are all of the challenges standing in the way of this switch? Those factors, she learned, were meeting USDA guidelines, ensuring a low price, and gaining enough student support. So, Livia set out to confront each obstacle.

Balanced, a public health nonprofit working to improve nutrition in schools and other institutions, helped Livia address the USDA criteria and cost considerations, exploring inclusive meals that would save the school district money. And to show student backing, Livia built a survey to gauge interest in plant-based options. After receiving 150 responses, she was eager to present the results to the district’s nutrition advisor.

But Livia faced another barrier from staff: she would need closer to 1,000 participants to demonstrate demand.

Undeterred, Livia organized tabling events to raise awareness for the expanded food choices. As her peers filled out the survey, she offered them vegan donut holes and handed out wristbands that read “Lunch, but better plant-based.” Her efforts resonated, with more student turnout than she anticipated. “Every time I get support, I’m surprised and so thankful. I actually think a lot of students and young people are respectful and want to learn,” she said.

Soon after the event, Livia was thrilled to discover that several plant-based dishes, including fried rice, hummus pitas, tofu ramen bahn mi sandwiches, would be available daily across the district.

As she returns to campus this fall, Livia has a new mission: to ensure the vegan dishes stay on the menu. By hanging posters, hosting events, and speaking with peers, she hopes to draw attention to the new options and help students choose them.

A new school year will bring new advocacy challenges, but Livia is prepared. “If you actually care about making change, then you keep pushing, even when it's difficult,” she said. “If you care, you won’t stop.”

​​New Roots Institute is a nonprofit empowering the next generation with knowledge and training to end factory farming. Through our leadership development programs, fellows take what they learn about the food system and put it into practice by launching campaigns that challenge industrial animal agriculture. We are strengthening the movement—spreading change from individuals to their communities, and expanding outward into wider systems-level change.