Students who complete the Advocacy Institute become members of FFAC’s Leadership Collective. The Leadership Collective aims for both near-term impacts in members’ communities and long-term capacity building. This program offers specialized support with members’ projects and opportunities to attend professional development workshops we offer in collaboration with other organizations. Through these partnerships, members gain access to training in lobbying, journalism, public health, and food tech. Members learn from experts and have ample opportunities to network and benefit from the support of their peers.
Leadership Collective members take this knowledge and apply it to their advocacy. Some may approach sustainability directors and campaign for plant-based options as part of school-wide climate action plans. Some may convince environmental groups to add the impacts of animal agriculture to their policy agenda, or immigrant rights groups to recognize the conditions of undocumented people in slaughterhouse work. They may create educational or activist social media or give presentations in their classes and organizations. Some may work on legislation at the municipal or county level. Select members apply to become FFAC Fellows, committing to further training and working directly with the FFAC team on our mission.
Shae Stokes is an undergraduate student at CU Boulder majoring in philosophy and sociology. He'll be starting a graduate studies program this fall. He started out at FFAC as a college student advocate during the summer of 2021 and also completed two fellowship terms at FFAC since then. As someone that's passionate about animal rights and environmentalism and hopes to pursue a career in environmental policy, he's thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in the newly revamped fellowship program at FFAC and begin his journey as a professional activist.
Misa Layne currently attends Northern Virginia Community College as a freshman majoring in political science. She is interested in social and environmental issues, particularly environmental justice and sustainability. Working to incorporate environmentalism concepts into her social activism, she has founded an initiative called Empower through Plant Power. This initiative aims to teach youth the importance of moving away from factory farming and becoming more sustainable in our agricultural systems. She is interested in integrating more of her learning and experience into tangible and effective environmental action, which led her to the FFAC Fellowship.
Since first entering the animal advocacy space in high school, June has been involved in grassroots activism and has interned with various vegan and animal advocacy organizations. Much of her organizing revolves around a student organization she founded at her university dedicated to veganism and the various issues that intersect with animal agriculture. She hopes to spread awareness about the intersections between animal rights and other social issues and is currently pursuing a career in animal advocacy upon her graduation this spring.
Hannah is a sophomore at Pomona College majoring in Public Policy Analysis with an emphasis in environmental policy. She spent the summer of 2022 as a college advocate for FFAC and is the founder and president of the vegan/vegetarian club of the Claremont Colleges. One of her main goals is to partner and work with college dining halls and cafes to increase their plant-based options. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and baking fun vegan treats.
Gracie Darlington is a senior at Northwestern University studying organizational change and environmental policy. Gracie graduated from FFAC’s Advocacy Institute in the summer of 2022, an experience which strengthened her passions for environmental justice, animal welfare, and factory farming awareness. She is the proud mom of two guinea pigs along with a handful of shrimp and fish. In her free time she enjoys birding, thrifting, and volunteering at a nearby farm.
Emma is currently pursuing her Bachelor Degree in Music with a Minor in Environmental
Studies at NYU. She spent the Summer of 2022 as a first-time advocate for FFAC and has been
developing new ways to express her passion for environmental justice and animal rights ever
since. Emma currently resides in New York while she finishes her degree, but she permanently
lives in Los Angeles, CA. In her free time, Emma likes to listen to music, garden, explore the
outdoors and try new vegan recipes.
