Hi my name is Kaitlyn Romero from Gadsden High School. I am a senior and this is my second year in Evolvement and my first year as an ENMLT member. What I will be talking about is a future project I want to work on.
The future project I want to work on is a project that makes companies be our partners in this program. I would like to work with the organization Tent City because they would have small children and teens that are exposed to tobacco products. When I have gone to this place I have seen children exposed and also be in contact with tobacco, thinking its ok.
What I would like to get from this is the knowledge of them and what they think of the changes we want. Also, to see what changes they would like to see in the community. Also, how to make our way to be better and effective. I would want people to listen to what I need to say and to understand. I would also want to understand everyone in the room.
My name is Amanda Sena. I am a junior at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in Albuquerque, NM. This is my second year in Evolvement and my first year on the Leadership Team. Being a part of Evolvement let me to stand up for tobacco-free schools.
It is important that schools go tobacco-free because students spend most of their day at school and if all schools are tobacco-free then students won’t be able to smoke for most of the day.
Also seeing students smoke makes me feel bad for them because I know in the future they will be suffering from health problems. For example, my grandpa started smoking at a young age and now has a really tough time breathing and it’s hard to think that any of my classmates could end up like that in the future.
A tobacco-free policy at a school won’t just minimize teen tobacco users in the school, but in the whole community. This is because teens do what they see others do, so if they don’t see others smoke at school then they might not smoke on the free time that they have. The 24/7 campaign is trying to make schools 100% tobacco-free, which will make every school in the entire district 100% tobacco free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As a senior at Miyamura High School, I have witnessed four years of tobacco use in school from both teens and adults. Since joining Evolvement, I have learned the power of youth activism. Usually it is adults influencing minor’s lives, which is why it has become so normal to use tobacco in school and even discuss it between students and staff.
Many times, teachers, school staff and even parents are seen using tobacco on campus and it only helps promote it to students. 24/7 will stop that cycle by preventing the use of tobacco on campus twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It will help de-normalize this habit by eliminating an example they see most days.
At the end of the day, it is our – the youth’s – health. It is our future, it is us that should make the change. Through programs like Evolvement and through the gains of social support, even if it is as small as a testimony, we will make a change and promote a healthier living for not only ourselves but for future generations.
Yá’át’ééh, Shí éí Sky. I am a senior at Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, New Mexico. I have been with Evolvement for four years, and this will be my second year on the leadership team. Evolvement is a program that urges students to serve as advocates for themselves, and their community.
As an organization, Evolvement focuses on policy chang in communities local and statewide. Policy change is important because it enforces and offers a consequence if the rules are not followed. Furthermore, policy also adds to awareness of an issue. It allows citizens to consider the policy and causes them to wonder why it is in place.
It is important to have strong policies set in stone so that people will have to follow these policies. One campaign that Evolvement works on is named No Minor Sale. We work on bringing awareness to the issue – illegal tobacco sales to minors. We are trying to show people that a policy must be enforced. If the policy is passed, an affect will be acquired.
As a youth, I can lend my support by participating at events where No Minor Sale is located and collect support cards and inform the public of our mission. I have participated in two major No Minor Sale events in my community. Youth should care about this potential new policy because it was created to protect their health. Working with Evolvement has ultimately taught me that every small step is essential to helping the cause. If other students were to become involved with policy, key decision makers would have to consider our voice.
We must all support the policy changes that Evolvement is trying to make, because it would protect children who are our future
My name is Jaeann Gonzales and I have just completed this magnificent journey called High School. I plan on attending the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology beginning in the Fall of 2019, and I will be pursuing a career in Chemical Engineering. I have been a part of the Evolvement New Mexico program for 3 years, and I have had the opportunity to be on the Evolvement New Mexico Leadership team for the last two years, holding the positions of Co-Social chair, and Public Speaking Chair. Over the last three years I have not only had the opportunity to create amazing bonds with fellow Evolvers and Evolvement staff, but I have also attended a multitude of events working with both 24/7 NM and No Minor Sale in an effort to create a healthier New Mexico.
Being part of Evolvement has become such an important aspect of my life. Not only have I gained confidence, but I have also acquired many skills in public speaking, community engagement, and getting conversations started about important topics. Being a young advocate is definitely a challenge at times, but through perseverance, determination, and teamwork, Evolvement has taught me that no issue is too big for us. Working on tobacco control has also been very significant in my life because I have had many family members struggle with tobacco addiction. Through my work with Evolvement I have not only had the opportunity to advocate for generations before me, but also have done work with our Albuquerque Public School District to ensure that those who come after me are able to learn in safe, healthy environments. One of my most memorable moments in Evolvement was at the NM ACT day in Santa Fe. Myself and other Evolvers were working together to introduce Legislators to our program as well as educate them on the importance and impact tobacco control work is to our state. In the midst of conversations, I see Representative Sarah Maestas Barnes, who I had a previous meeting with about Evolvement. Ms.Barnes recognized me! She then encouraged the other Evolvers and I to continue our work as youth advocates and let us know that our voice mattered, and someone was listening. This moment showed me that all of this work I was doing, meetings, presentations, press conferences, it was all truly making an impact, and I was definitely not ready to stop yet.
Although I have graduated from my work in Evolvement, my advocacy will not stop. The skills I have gained, and the knowledge I now have about policy change, politics, and especially public speaking are things I will continue to implement in my life to continue advocacy for my community. I still plan on continuing to make strides in creating healthier environments, and I hope with the wisdom I gain in my next venture, I will be able to expand this advocacy journey beyond anyone can imagine. I hope that our youth continue to use their voices for good, and use programs like Evolvement to not only speak on community issues, but also to find their true potential. Without Evolvement I would have never been as confident as I am today in my skills and knowledge. Programs like Evolvement not only help us uplift ourselves, but our community, and most importantly, our generation. I hope you all continue to do amazing things, inspire each other, and find that fire within yourself.
My name is Abigail and I am a senior member of the Evolvement Leadership Team at Los Lunas High School. I joined Evolvement my junior year because I am incredibly passionate about activism and social justice; as soon as I became aware of the many ways in which Big Tobacco prey on the youth in this country -especially on minorities- I knew I couldn’t just sit back and ignore it. Since that time, I’ve seen multiple classmates, friends and family members using tobacco products and one of my uncles even got lung cancer as a result of smoking cigarettes for many years. In an effort to prevent these things, as an Evolvement advocate, I’ve had incredible opportunities such as: visiting the roundhouse at the capitol and speaking to legislators and representatives about the work that Evolvement does, talking to community members in my school, at athletic events and at bigger community functions such as the New Mexico Fiery Foods Festival, meeting other Evolvers from all over New Mexico and now getting to visit Washington D.C. and talk to people from all over the nation about the epidemic we are facing in the United States of America of electronic cigarettes like the Juul on Kick Butts Day.
Kick Butts Day is a national day of action where Evolvement youth join other youth advocates from across the country to fight against big tobacco. During the Spanish media tour for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, I was up bright and early to get to the studio and get camera-ready. For several hours, another youth advocate who did the English media tour and I took turns calling in to local and national radio and television stations all over the United States to tell them about Kick Butts Day and the effort that is being made by youth advocates all over the country to face off against big tobacco and the impact that it is having on the younger generations. While I was there, the volunteers at the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids were amazing; they were incredibly accommodating, thoughtful and helpful and worked tirelessly to ensure that the youth advocates were comfortable, prepared and that everything ran as smoothly as possible. My role was to follow the lead of all of the media advisors to do our best to get the message out clearly and make sure that we were available and ready to go live when they gave the word. Although I was a bit nervous to be on the air nationally, I knew that the work I was doing was important and I was proud to know that I could have such a widespread, positive impact. Overall, the experience was one of the best I’ve ever had and I will never forget it.
It is important for youth to get involved and become advocates for their schools and communities because if they don’t do it, no one will. The youth have more power than they may realize to make change and advocating for the changes you want to see happen can have life-changing results not only for those you’re advocating for but also for you. It can make you a better leader and public speaker, expose you to influential, like-minded people, and give you experiences that will make you a more empathetic, well-rounded person. Other youth should be passionate about the issue because these tobacco companies are targeting us, our friends, our siblings, and all of the youth to come; to them, we’re just “replacement smokers”, new cash cows to replace those who’ve died from using their products and get addicted to their tobacco products, get sick and eventually die too as a result just so they can remain rich and in power. This experience has only served to bolster my belief that we can fight back and even if it seems insignificant, if we keep working and advocating for those who can’t or won’t, real change can be made. I hope to take what I’ve learned from this experience and use it to continue working with Evolvement to keep all tobacco products out of the hands of under aged people and out of schools, 100% of the time so that we can create the first true tobacco-free generation.
Hi my name is Tammy. I’m a student at Atrisco Heritage Academy High
School. This is my first year in Evolvement. So far, I have even been to Moriarty and
presented an award to the Moriarty-Edgewood School Board for adopting our 100%
comprehensive tobacco free school policy.
I also was able to attend NM ACT Day at the Capitol in February 2019. It was an
amazing experience. We traveled to Santa Fe together, prepped for our meetings with
Legislators and I even got to speak with the Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales. He
was very impressed and supportive of the work Evolvement Youth are doing. Many of
the Legislators were welcoming and willing to listen to us. 11 Evolvement youth met with
14 State Representatives and Senators. This experience really made me feel our voices
were being heard.
The day confirmed that the work Evolvement youth are doing is very important.
Evolvement works with two campaigns, the 24/7 NM Campaign and the No Minor Sale
Campaign. We were able to briefly explain the work we do for both campaigns as youth
advocates, provide examples of our events, and show Legislators our impact across the
state. This day was life changing & I am excited to continue my efforts with Evolvement
to help make a change!
Hi, my name is Allyssa Wright and I am involved in Evolvement at Arrowhead Park
Medical Academy in Las Cruces, NM. As an Evolvement advocate there has been
many opportunities for me to speak to the press, to other students and even to school
board members.
Kick Butts Day is a day of action across the whole nation and Evolvement youth has the
great opportunity to join advocates across the country and fight against big tobacco.
Arrowhead Park Early College High School Evolvement youth hosted their Kick Butts
Day Event at Onate High School and we were able to duct tape a teacher to the wall,
have a banner that asked people about their goals and dreams and even have a 24/7
NM photo booth. We collected over 120 24/7 NM school assessments. These school
assessments help our principals and leaders understand how tobacco-free policies are
being perceived and enforced at our schools. We did our event in collaboration with the student government at Onate. At this event we had many school board members and
teachers from both Arrowhead Park Medical Academy and Onate High School be
present and support us. It was nice to partner with the other schools in the Las Cruces
Public School district and get them involved with making New Mexico schools truly
tobacco-free.
Evolvement youth are advocates that have their voices heard! We spread our message
by hosting events like Kick Butts Day. We all should be passionate in the fight against
tobacco use because it has not only affected the past and present but more importantly
it is affecting our future, which we have the power to change. Evolvement has given me
many great experiences including advocating for things that I am passionate about!
Hello, my name is Aileen, I am in the 11th grade at V. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. I am active member of the Evolvement New Mexico Leadership Team. Evolvement is a youth engagement movement working on making a healthier New Mexico. This is my second year working with the 24/7 NM campaign, helping schools have a truly comprehensive tobacco- free policy. With Evolvement and the 24/7 NM campaign I have presented at several school board meetings attempting to improve their tobacco-free policies.
In February, Bernalillo Public School District adopted a 100% comprehensive tobacco-free policy. At the beginning I felt a bit nervous about presenting but felt that Bernalillo would see how having this new comprehensive tobacco free policy is helping students in the entire school district by, giving them a safe and healthy environment to learn and better their future.
Passing this policy at a district-level is important because every school in the district will be covered with this policy. There are great resources that will be given to each school for example, our free bilingual tobacco-free signs, and a 24/7 toolkit with great supplies. These resources give clear detail about the policy being tobacco-free twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Presenting this policy means a lot to me because being part of the youth I see how tobacco affects my classmates. When the youth sees that something like tobacco is acceptable they start thinking that using tobacco products is cool and fine to do. I feel that this policy will make a big difference and save future generations. I am excited for the positive outcome we have seen from Bernalillo schools. I am proud from the experience I have had with Evolvement and am hopeful for other districts to adopt a 100% comprehensive tobacco-free policy.
I have been a part of Evolvement since my junior year and currently, as senior at Hiroshi Miyamura High School, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to carry on my membership and advocate for a tobacco free New Mexico. Our No Minor Sale campaign works to inform communities in hopes of gaining support towards stopping the illegal sale of tobacco to minors. A majority of my peers use tobacco products even though they are still underage. When I discovered that 2,630 people die each year due to a preventable tobacco related illness and nearly 90% of tobacco users start before they turn 18, I felt compelled to do everything I could to prevent my peers from becoming part of that statistic.
I had the opportunity to do just that in giving a presentation about our campaign to the Kiwanis Club of Gallup at our local Pee Wee’s restaurant the third of January. The people I presented to were very active in the community with jobs in media outlets, and other clubs such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters. As I presented, I could tell by their questions and their attention that they were concerned for today’s youth and wanted to be a part of our cause by partnering with our organization! As people filled out messages of support, they wrote down personal stories regarding loved ones and youth they were concerned about. This concern showed especially when one audience member, who was a part of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, showed her concern about today’s youth and the impact of the unavoidable second hand smoke on the peers who surround minors who smoke tobacco.
This issue touched so many people, I was interviewed by our local Independent newspaper as I talked about my advocacy to spread awareness and support for our cause. I have always hoped to use my life in service of helping others, intent on pursuing a career in the medical field. With Evolvement, I can make a change to my community right now in promoting health and advocating for a healthy life. I am very blessed to have this opportunity to talk to my local community about our No Minor Sale campaign and look forward to more presentations and events to continue to spread awareness in hopes of a tobacco free New Mexico.