June-July 2002
Vol. 3 No. 2

In this issue:

BREATHE FREE (Legacy Funds NAAAPI's Second-hand Smoke Project)
ALCOHOL PREVENTION LISTSERV (Advocates recognize need for continued vigilance)
SWISHER AIN'T SWEET CAMPAIGN (Campaign altered marketing strategy)
UPCOMING EVENTS
REPORT ON COMMUNITY PARTNERS
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE - Pam Jones, Greg Bolden
ORGANIZATIONS TO KNOW - National Tobacco Independence Campaign
NAAAPI MEMBERSHIP

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BREATHE FREE

Second hand smoke project is culturally relevant to African Americans.
NAAAPI is pleased to announce that it has received a grant of $300,000 from the American Legacy Foundation (Legacy) to fund a project that addresses the impact of second hand smoke in African American communities. The project, called "Breathe Free", has a mission to introduce culturally relevant materials about second hand smoke to tobacco control advocates, other health professionals, community groups and individuals.

The core materials of the project are a 16-page booklet called "Breathing Free" and nine public service announcements (PSA's) designed for radio. The booklet and PSA's were originally developed for NAAAPI, with CDC funding, by The Onyx Group, an African American marketing and communications company. The Legacy funding will enable NAAAPI to test the effectiveness of the materials, modify the materials based on the research findings, distribute revised materials and report the research findings in national publications and journals.

Alice Dixon, Director of Operations of NAAAPI and the Project Leader for this new endeavor stated, "Although the health risks of second hand smoke are clear, the tobacco industry has continued to portray exhaled smoke and side-stream smoke as more of a nuisance than a health threat. Despite the greater risk to second hand smoke, African Americans as a group have rarely been the recipients of targeted second hand smoke materials." He further states, "Virtually all of the educational materials on the subject have been generic in nature. The "Breathe Free" materials are different because they use imagery to identify with the audience but also weave in various elements that are culturally specific and relevant to the African American experience." Cheryl Healton, Legacy's President and Chief Executive Officer praised NAAAPI for its commitment to reducing and preventing second hand smoke exposure. "We are pleased to offer this grant to NAAAPI and help expand its efforts to present materials that incorporate culturally relevant experiences that relate more closely to African American lifestyles."

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ALCOHOL PREVENTION LISTSERV

Advocates recognize need for continued vigilance.
The success of the "Stop Liquor Ads on NBC" has become an impetus for forming a listserv to discuss issues regarding alcohol control and prevention. While members of the "Stop Liquor Ads on NBC" campaign were delighted in NBC's decision to reverse its decision to accept hard liquor advertisments, the industry is continuing to develop ways to make this happen anyway. The listserv will be a communications conduit for alcohol control advocates to stay informed about the industry's plans as well as to strategize ways to proactively and reactively counter the industry's actions.

If you wish to be part of the alcohol listserv, please contact NAAAPI at info@naaapi.org

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SWISHER AIN'T SWEET CAMPAIGN

Campaign alters marketing strategy.
The "Swisher Ain't Sweet" campaign, has altered the marketing strategy of little cigars in menthol in a major African American magazine. NAAAPI and other advocates have not reported seeing the advertising in other media outlets or magazines. NAAAPI launched the national campaign in November 2001 in response to the advertising for Swisher Sweet little cigars in menthol in JET magazine. The October 15 and November 26 issues in which the menthol ads were placed included cover stories on entertainers who are popular with youth. The January 28, 2002 and subsequent issues advertised the little cigars in regular flavor. Bishop S.C. Carthen, an African American tobacco control advocate from Sacramento, CA and Reverend Hessie Harris, Pastoral Director of COST (Churches Organized to Save Tomorrow), both of whom were campaign organizers, agree that the tobacco industry continues to use established media outlets of the African American community for the targeted marketing of menthol tobacco products to African Americans, particularly its youth. They expressed their pleasure that this campaign has stopped Swisher Sweets from becoming an icon for Black youth.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

June 21-22, 2002
"Getting Real about Tobacco" is a free media advocacy and smoking cessation workshop being sponsored by the National African American Tobacco Education Network (NAATEN). It will be held in Chicago. For more information, contact Pam Jones at 916-556-3344. There are some travel scholarships available.

September 3-5, 2002
Spirituality: The foundation of Recovery
Committed Caring Faith Communities' Fourth Annual Regional Conference on Substance Abuse for clergy, congregation members and substance abuse treatment professionals will be held at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. A registration brochure will be available at the end of May and can be obtained by contacting Daphne Walker-Thoth at 314-951-1033. (Committed Caring Faith Communities was a grant recipient in NAAAPI's Community Partners Project.)

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REPORT ON COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROJECT

As reported in the last issue of "Words to the Wise", NAAAPI has completed its Community Partners Project. Check the sidebar called Campaigns and click on to 2002 Community Partners. NAAAPI extends its heartfelt appreciation for a job well done to Sterlen Barr, Health Promotion Council (Philadelphia, PA); Pamela Minimah, All-Aid International, Inc. (Charleston, WV); Jose Corporan, The Medical Foundation (Boston, MA); Daphne Walker-Thoth, Committed Caring Faith Communities (St. Louis, MO) and Joan Kiley, Community Recovery Services (Berkley, CA).

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PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE

Pam Jones is the Program Director for the National African American Tobacco Education Network (NAATEN). Pam became Program Director in April 2002. Pam has an MPH, is a nurse and has experience working with African American clergy groups and churches. Pam says that her vision for NAATEN is to help new players in tobacco control establish infrastructure to benefit the African American community and to draw on the expertise of the veterans in tobacco control to strengthen the infrastructure.

Greg Bolden is the Regional Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Human Resouces, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. (Greg was formerly with the California Black Health Network in San Diego, CA). As Regional Coordinator, Greg provides program consultation in tobacco control and prevention to five areas in southern Georgia that comprise one of the state's health districts. He is responsible for evaluation, design and program implementation.

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ORGANIZATIONS TO KNOW

The National Tobacco Independence Campaign (NTIC) Originally called the "National Smoking Cessation Campaign for African American Women", NTIC is a social marketing enterprise in support of diversity in the anti-smoking and tobacco control movement. The mission of NTIC is to:

• inform, educate and unite people around common issues related to healthier lifestyles independent of the influences of tobacco,
• provide people with culture-specific information and resources in support of tobacco control especially, but not exclusively, among people of color,
• help implement community-based smoking cessation projects.
• Mildred Morse is the founder and director of NTIC. For more information, call Ms.

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MEMBERSHIP
You are invited to become a member of NAAAPI. For $25/year, you can be part of an organization that has been active for the last decade in mobilizing communities across the country to address issues of target marketing and promotion of alcohol and tobacco products to African Americans. Membership entitles you to:

• Current issues of "Words to the Wise"
• Action alerts on issues of interest to the African American community
• A directory of resources and advocates in tobacco and alcohol control and prevention, particularly those in communities of color
• Technical assistance
• A NAAAPI membership card

For membership information, contact NAAAPI at info@naaapi.org or 215-235-6488. Carmella Chandler is the membership drive coordinator.

"Words to the Wise" is a bi-monthly newsletter of the National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery (NAAAPI). Alice Dixon is supervising editor of the newsletter. Carmella A. Chandler is the editor.

The National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery
1231 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
215-235-6488-phone
215-235-6491-fax
info@naaapi.org


Reverend Jesse W. Brown, Jr., Executive Director
Alice Dixon, Director of Operations
Carmella Chandler, Use Prevention Specialist
Kevin Cafferkey, Accountant
Raquel Abrantes, Administrative Assistant

"Mobilizing Communities to a Healthier Lifestyle"