The Power of Youth Advocacy: Olivia’s Leadership in Advocating for the Farm Bill
In 2023, Olivia Bowles, a student at Tuskegee University, volunteered with Bread for the World to help end hunger in her community and around the world. Specifically, she advocated to increase food access on college campuses through initiatives such as the Farm Bill and expansion of SNAP benefits.
Organizing fellow students
“I’m a senior at Tuskegee University. I’ve been partnering with Bread for the World for the past several years to help end hunger in my community and around the world. I organize a letter-writing campaign to encourage students at Tuskegee to write to our representatives. This past year, we advocated for them to pass the farm bill and make SNAP benefits more accessible to minority communities.”
A vision for food accessibility
“I decided to major in Agribusiness at Tuskegee because, growing up, my mom and I did a farm share near our house. We would go to a farm and pick fresh fruits and vegetables every weekend, and then we would also receive fresh produce twice a week. Being able to go to that farm and talk to the workers really sparked my interest in agriculture. What I remember most is how they were always happy, always excited to be there. I want this kind of experience for every child, this accessibility to healthy food.”
Advocating for college students
“One of the reasons I’m so passionate about ending hunger is because it’s something that a lot of college students face. When I first started college at Tuskegee University, it was a shock, because I didn’t realize that the college is located in a food desert. If the cafeteria was closed, the only way I could really get healthy food was to drive to Auburn, but I didn’t have a car. I had to rely on friends to drive me to Walmart and Publix.
One of the things I do with Bread on campus is walk new students through the SNAP registration process. It can be complex to sign up for SNAP benefits, and a lot of students don’t know that if you aren’t making money, or you are on work-study, or if you don’t have a meal plan, you can apply for SNAP benefits. Thankfully, there isn’t a stigma here for most students. If anything, students are proud to have SNAP because they’re not wasting money.”
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