Zacky’s Mission

Zacky Muñoz, 13, is careful to avoid foods he’s allergic to. Eating even a tiny bit of one can make him sick. In first grade, he accidentally ate a breadstick that contained sesame. After just a few bites, “I knew something was different,” he told TIME for Kids. “So I went to the nurse.”

YOUNG CHANGEMAKER Zacky Muñoz advocates for kids with food allergies. He uses his experience with allergies to raise awareness of them.

Zacky had a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. “I started throwing up, having trouble breathing,” he says. An EpiPen saved his life. That’s a medical device used in an emergency to inject a person with a small amount of medication called epinephrine. “It was scary,” Zacky says. “But it did open my eyes for me to really see that food allergies are serious. . . . I discovered that there is a whole community [of people] who’ve gone through similar experiences.”

ORDER UP! Zacky and his brother, Jacob, whip up allergy-friendly pancakes at home.

Raising Awareness

Since age 6, Zacky has been an advocate for kids with food allergies. He and his mom worked on the Zacky Bill, which was signed into law by California governor Gavin Newsom in 2022. The state now provides an online food allergy resource guide for schools. In 2023, the Muñoz SAFE Act became law. It says California schools must provide easy access to epinephrine, in case of emergency. And this year, on October 3, the state passed a law that builds on Zacky’s efforts. It expands access to epinephrine in schools.

BIG STEP Friends, family, and lawmakers gather for a press conference as the Zacky Bill is signed into law, in 2022.

“There are so many people like me who are impacted” by food allergies, Zacky says. “That is what led me down this path of advocacy and changemaking.”

In the United States, more than 33 million people have food allergies, including one in 13 kids. That’s according to FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education). Eggs, milk, peanuts, sesame, and soy are among the most common food allergens in the U.S. Some food allergy symptoms, like itching, are mild. Others, like anaphylaxis, can be deadly.

Zacky has shared information about allergies with lawmakers at the California State Capitol. In the beginning, “I’d knock on legislators’ doors,” he says, “and have one-on-one conversations about legislation.” One person he’s spoken to is Griffin Bovée. He’s the capitol director for State Assemblyperson Kate Sanchez, who championed the Muñoz SAFE Act. Bovée says that Zacky “sets a really good example that you don’t have to wait until you’re an adult to get engaged [in advocacy], to help make a difference in your community.”

LUNCH BREAK After meeting lawmakers, Zacky eats at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C.

Loud and Proud

Zacky’s efforts go beyond lawmaking. The eighth grader leads a nonprofit group focused on children’s health. On his website, Zacky’s Universe, he provides tips on living with food allergies.

He’s also a public speaker. Dr. Ruchi Gupta is director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research, in Chicago, Illinois. She has invited Zacky to the group’s annual conference. “He has become one of the most prominent voices for kids with food allergy in the U.S.,” Gupta says.

ALLERGY ALERT Zacky appears on a food allergy panel in Chicago, Illinois, in 2024.

Zacky has some advice for kids with food allergies. “Let your voice be heard,” he says. “You should be loud and proud and say, ‘I have food allergies. This is what I need to be safe.’”

Inspired?

Let Zacky’s story inspire you to help make a positive difference. Click below for ideas on how you can speak up for change in your own community.