Opening of Landmark All-Vegan Dining Hall Caps Hard-Fought Campaign by Ever-Present Animal Rights Group
For Immediate Release:
January 23, 2012
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
La Jolla, Calif. -- After months of strategizing, collecting thousands of petition signatures, and conducting often delicate negotiations with dining staff, the determined members of the University of California–San Diego (UCSD) student group People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Through Education (PEACE) were able to enjoy the delectable offerings at Roots, the first all-vegan dining hall on the UCSD campus. Add to this landmark achievement PEACE's commitment to keeping animal rights issues in the campus spotlight, and it's no surprise that the group has won a Star Student Group Award from peta2, PETA's youth division.
"PEACE members might not be on the UCSD faculty, but that hasn't stopped them from giving students and faculty an education in respect for animals," says peta2 Division Manager Marta Holmberg. "Young people are leading the charge in animal rights, and PEACE is setting the pace for students across the country."
Diners at Roots have the luxury of ordering any dish that catches their eye without having to wonder if bits of unhealthy and cruelly obtained meat, eggs, and dairy products lurk inside. The menu is still under development, but rave reviews have been given to the grilled vegan chicken with cilantro pesto, the chopped vegan chicken barbecue with chipotle soy crème and caramelized onions, and corn enchiladas with black beans, spicy tofu, and cilantro rice. Before the opening of Roots, PEACE teamed up with peta2 to collect more than 2,000 signatures demanding more vegan options in all campus dining halls.
PEACE also hosted peta2's provocative Liberation Project exhibit, which compares the abuses humans have inflicted on each other throughout history with the abuses society currently inflicts on animals. The group has also screened hard-hitting undercover investigation video footage of factory farms and slaughterhouses and hosted vegan bake sales to support animal protection efforts.
For more information, please visit peta2.com.