Mobilizing Youth to Nix Tobacco (MYNT) is a Central Valley Program that engages youth in Fresno, Madera and Tulare County. yli staff lead coalitions of young people (ages 14-24) in each county, who, together with their adult allies, work to reduce tobacco-related health issues that deeply impact the African-American Community and communities of color in the Central Valley through advocacy, education, and action. As a grantee of the California Tobacco Control Program and partner of Amplify! African American Statewide Coordinating Center, we are committed to the Endgame 2035, whose goal is to reduce the number of smokers from 20% today to less than 5% by 2035. Endgame Tobacco is a move away from tobacco control and toward eliminating tobacco altogether.
What We’re About
MYNT youth coalition members live out a tobacco-free California in the Central Valley in countless ways, which include:
- Creating fresh and engaging digital content with a social justice lens
- Expanding and building out a network of youth advocates locally and statewide to influence change
- Inviting and celebrating the diversity of our community through inclusion and shared decision making
- Developing your leadership skills through mentorship
- Co-authoring policies that shape a thriving community landscape
- Participating in collaborative annual efforts to celebrate and uplift Black Excellence:
- Black History Month
- Information and Education Days
- No Menthol Sunday
- Juneteenth Events
- National Day of Action
- Red Ribbon Week
- Great American Smokeout
What We’re Addressing
Let’s be real, the Tobacco Industry has a long history of harming communities of color, especially young people, so we’re going to talk about it and create a plan to be a part of the solution. Here are some of the things we are bringing to light together:
- Predatory marketing tactics, like:
- Discounted tobacco prices in historic Black neighborhoods
- Celebrity, Black leadership, and faith-based endorsements
- History of tobacco and African-Americans
- Social justice and tobacco policy
How to Get Involved
If you identify as a young person of color, have a heart for social justice, or are constantly being challenged by your personal faith to make a better world, then we need you. MYNT gives young people a first-hand experience to create healthier and more equitable neighborhoods. Youth and adult allies work in community as a team, designing engaging campaigns through social media and other creative platforms. We organize exciting cultural moments to bring the community and resources together. Our goal is to see our communities thrive, free from the influence of tobacco, and this is how we are going to get there:
- Passing legislation in our local communities to ban the sales of flavored tobacco, including menthol, and end the widespread epidemic that dates back to the 1950s-60s.
- Mobilizing and developing youth leadership coalitions to lead and engage their communities in this fight for a tobacco-free California in the Central Valley
- Collaborating with faith-based communities to adapt tobacco-free places and campuses of worship
MYNT Youth Coalition Members engage in various ways to collaborate and lead change in the community.
- MYNT Coalition Meetings
- Tobacco Prevention Advisory Committee
- September 20, 2022
- November 8, 2022
- January 24, 2023
- June 20, 2023
- Faith and Wellness Subcommittee
Interested in Joining?
Click here to download the application, and reach out to Cynthia Rocha, [email protected], for more information. Or, come join us during a coalition meeting to complete your application. And follow us on social media!
- Instagram: @mynt_cv
- Twitter: @mynt_cv
- Facebook: @mobilizingyouthtonixtobacco
Background Research
“Research shows that more tobacco retailers exist in areas with larger black, Hispanic and low-income populations. More stores selling tobacco means more exposure to point-of-sale marketing, which Big Tobacco spent more than $8 billion on in 2014. Point-of-sale promotions—not just in-store advertising, but things like discounts and product displays behind check-out counters—have been the industry’s top marketing strategy for nearly 30 years, receiving even more investment after the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement restricted marketing tactics, such as billboard and transit ads and the use of cartoons such as Joe Camel to appeal to children.”1
“Scientific evidence indicates that adult menthol smokers are less likely than non-menthol smokers to successfully quit smoking despite increased quit intentions and quit attempts. Studies show significantly reduced rates of quitting among African-American and Hispanic menthol smokers compared with non-menthol smokers.”2
There is Help
Trying to quit vaping? If you or someone you know is trying to break free from their addiction to vaping, please use the free text service by texting DITCHJUUL to 88709.
Kick-It California – There is a statewide effort to help residents in California to break the cycle of addiction to tobacco. For more information, go https://kickitca.org/.Visit undo.org, for more information about how California is fighting back against Big Tobacco!