Umbrella Academy Star Aidan Gallagher Demands California Mandate Vegan School Lunch Options

This week, vegan actor Aidan Gallagher—star of Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy—sent a letter to the California Assembly voicing his support for Healthy, Climate-Friendly School Lunch Act (AB 479). Co-sponsored by advocacy groups Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Animal Hope in Legislation, Friends of the Earth, and Social Compassion in Legislation, the bill was introduced by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian in February and aims to promote climate-friendly foods by providing extra funding to schools that add or increase the number of vegan entrées and plant-based milks on their menus. Gallagher—who has been recognized as the youngest UN Goodwill Ambassador for his efforts to fight climate change—adopted a vegan lifestyle after learning about the devastating environmental impact of animal agriculture. “Every day on my social media I hear the voices of thousands of young people expressing their concern about the state of our planet and their frustration with the lack of action,” Gallagher wrote in his letter supporting AB 479. “I learned at last year’s San Francisco Global Climate Action Summit that the world is watching what California does. I urge our legislators to be the inspiration that other states need to make changes as well. This is bigger than just a veggie burger for lunch, it is a message to others about taking a stand for future generations’ wellbeing.” The groundbreaking bill is expected to be in front of California’s Appropriations Committee by the end of the week before moving to the California Assembly by the end of the month.