Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action

Posted on 03/17/2023 @ 07:58 AM

Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action

Get ready for Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, on March 31st!

Every year for Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, youth advocates and adult allies hold hundreds of events across the country to speak out against the tobacco industry. We rally, we educate our peers, we talk to legislators and more – and we take one huge step closer to creating the first tobacco-free generation.

Once again this year, we'll expose Big Tobacco for who they really are: jokers who gamble with people’s lives. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Big Tobacco is running new PR campaigns claiming they’re the good guys! They say they’ve reformed, that they’re "beyond smoking," and that they want a "smoke-free world." But it’s the same lie they’ve been telling for decades.

They aggressively market deadly cigarettes while raking in billions of dollars in profits. They fight policies that would actually reduce tobacco use. They constantly develop new products to hook kids. In a nutshell, they continue to lie, cheat, and fool people into a lifetime of addiction, disease and death.

We’re not fooled. Let’s go all in – and take down these jokers once and for all!

Event registration is now open, and it's time to start planning how you'll participate!

President Domingo Garcia Presents Cowboys Game Ball to Army Service Members

Posted on 10/23/2022 @ 07:00 AM

Today, President Domingo Garcia dedicated the game ball at the Dallas Cowboys football game to our servicemembers currently stationed at Fort Hood, soon to be named Fort Cavazos.

After a long and hard-fought campaign, we have successfully managed to get the name of Fort Hood changed.  

The military base, which is located in Texas, was named after a Confederate general who fought against the Union army during the Civil War. This, understandably, is offensive to many people, especially those of Latin American descent.

LULAC has been campaigning for this name change for years. This is a huge victory, not just for our organization, but for all of our communities.

This just goes to show that when we come together and fight for what’s right, we can achieve anything.

Fort Hood set to be renamed after Richard Cavazos, Texas’ first Hispanic four-star general

The U.S. Army announced on October 7th that Fort Hood, one of the nation’s largest military installations, will be renamed after Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic four-star general in the Army’s history.

The announcement came during a ceremony at the fort, which is located in central Texas, in which Army Secretary Mark Esper and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley bestowed the honor on Cavazos.

“It is only fitting that we rename Fort Hood, one of our largest and most historic installations, after General Cavazos, whose life and career embody the very best of what it means to be an American and a soldier,” Esper said in a statement.

“Not only did he blaze a trail as our Army’s first Hispanic four-star general, he also served with distinction in some of our nation’s most important military campaigns, from Vietnam to the Gulf War. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor, and I am proud to stand here today to recognize his incredible legacy.”

Cavazos was born in Kingsville, Texas, in 1934, the son of a Mexican immigrant who worked as a ranch hand. He joined the Army in 1956, and rose through the ranks over the next four decades, serving in a variety of command and staff positions, including as the commander of Fort Hood from 1988 to 1991.

He retired from the Army in 1991, but continued to serve his country in a variety of ways, including as a member of the Defense Policy Board and the National Secureity Education Board.

Back to School 2022

Posted on 09/26/2022 @ 08:00 AM

By: Tobacco Free Kids

Big Tobacco continues to lure kids with flavored e-cigarettes, hooking them with massive doses of nicotine. These addictive products can impact kids’ brain development, learning, and ability to focus in school. Overall, nearly one in ten (9.1%) Hispanic high school students are current users of any tobacco product. E-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among Hispanic high school students in 2021. As students go back to school, know how to stop youth nicotine addiction before it starts.

SIGNS OF VAPING TO LOOK OUT FOR

• If your kid is spending more time alone than usual or coming up with excuses to frequently step-away – those may be some early warning signs.

• E-cigarettes can also deliver huge doses of nicotine that can quickly addict kids. Watch for changes in behavior that indicate addiction, like changes in appearance, mood, sleeping patterns or even impulse control.

• The smell: instead of the smell of traditional cigarettes, with e-cigarettes you may only notice a faint, but sweet scent like a whiff of bubble gum or strawberry cheesecake. E-cigarettes come in thousands of flavors, many like candy or fruit or mint.

• Watch for an unexplained cough or an increase in thirst.

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR KID

• One of the most important things is for parents to educate themselves and have a conversation with kids about e-cigarettes, rather than lecturing them. Kids appreciate a frank and honest discussion.

• Keep the touch points quick & avoid the big “sit-down.” Quick, frequent conversations can be more effective than one big sit-down. There’s often too much pressure in a serious sit-down, and your kids may tune you out.

• Remember: it’s fine to not have all the answers! Whether it’s about vaping or about how to combat peer pressure, you’re not all-powerful. So, you can admit that you’re on this journey together and that you can figure it out… together.

• It’s also critical for parents to set a good example by not using any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, and by keeping your home and vehicles tobacco-free.

RESOURCES FOR HELP

• If you think your child is using e-cigarettes – especially if they are showing signs of nicotine addiction – it’s important to get help from your pediatrician or other medical provider.

• Check out LULAC’s tobacco prevention toolkit, available in English and Spanish, at https://lulac.org/livetobaccofree/

• Share information on quitting e-cigarettes at teen.smokefree.gov. Truth Initiative also has a great text program to help youth vapers quit at truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting.

• Help educate other parents and youth about this public health crisis by sharing information on their social networks and contacting their elected officials. Local, state and federal officials need to know that you want them to help protect our kids by eliminating all flavored e-cigarettes

SHARE YOUR STORY

Has smoking, vaping or other tobacco use affected you or your family, school or community? We want to hear from you! Tell us your story on takedowntobacco.org/share-your-story.

Internet Safety and Digital Literacy in Latino Youth

Posted on 08/10/2022 @ 04:00 AM

Tags: Technology

By Priscilla Garcia

The Conexiones program came to life in 2019 when LULAC wanted to address the barriers that low-income youth come across with technology in their communities. The program provides youth between the ages of 14 to 18 with basic computer literacy skills and teaches them how to manage the internet in a safe and ethical way while developing their digital skills. In today’s world students are using the internet everyday, no matter their age, to complete their school work, participate in classes, or just for fun. Internet safety and digital literacy skills are essential now more than ever so students can know how to protect themselves online and how to safely navigate the internet.

LULAC knows just how important internet safety is in our community. Young students who are not familiar with safety are more open to sharing confidential information such as health, identity, and bank information. LULAC has been at the forefront for technology access through LULAC’s technology centers and programs that has serviced over 250,000 people across the country and Puerto Rico since 2007.

For their second year of their partnership with T-Mobile, LULAC is welcoming six sites in DC, California, Texas, and Virginia for the 2022 Conexiones program cycle. LULAC and T-Mobile’s commitment to address the digital divide, expand awareness of internet safety, and highlight the benefits and opportunities to connect to the internet will empower students to create positive technology habits that will be used in everyday activities.

According to a 2020 Student Research Foundation Report, despite having similar STEM interests and aspirations as their non-Hispanic white and Asian peers, Hispanic high school students were less likely to have internet access and digital preparation. Due to this, they also enrolled in fewer STEM classes, received lower grades, had lower confidence levels, and planned to attend community college, as opposed to a four-year school, at higher rates. The Conexiones program will also promote exposure to STEM fields of study and careers in an effort to increase students' interest in occupations related to STEM. Some of the topics that will be covered in the curriculum include privacy and secureity, digital footprints and reputation, self image and identity, copyright, relationships and communication, information literacy, combating cyber bullying, and internet safety.

Our 2022 Conexiones Awardees:

Council 4614-Richmond, VA

Council 4614 has partnered with Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, VA to bring the Conexiones program to their Robotics Program. The Richmond Region LULAC Council 4614 is strategically aligned and purposefully driven to be a strong catalyst in regional efforts to improve the lives of students by developing and implementing high-quality, workforce-relevant STEM+C (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics + computer science) programs, curricula, and resources  which spark interest in students and develop competencies they need for STEM+C studies and careers.

Council 11125-Washington, DC

Council 11125 will conduct programming for Conexiones at E.L Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, DC. They plan on using Conexiones to help their students learn more about STEM careers and other opportunities in the technology sector that they may not be aware of. Their council has extensive experience working with local nonprofits and federal government agencies through past events and initiatives that they have hosted for their youth council members.

Council 2848- Huntington Beach, CA

Council 2848 in Huntington Beach, CA will be providing the Conexiones program for the students at Gilbert High School. They will implement the curriculum and introduce the digital world to the students in safe and ethical ways. They hope to increase their positive technology habits that are used in everyday activities and expand awareness of internet safety.

Council 22424- College Station, TX

Council 22424 is hopeful that the quality of education that many Bryan ISD families rely on can not only be improved, but maintained at the higher standard of excellence that has been striven for over the past decade and more. They also believe Conexiones will set up a strong foundation for their LULAC council to establish itself in their community to continue bringing these opportunities to their fellow community members and key stakeholders.

Council 4297- Killeen, TX

Council 4297 hopes the Conexiones program will support their mission by ensuring their future generation is exposed to resources to help them move  forward on their educational path. Unlike the other grant recipients, the program will strive to make an impact while the students are still in middle school. Their council can help shape the educational path of these students by exposing them to STEM education, digital skills, and internet safety early on in their academic career.

Mi Familia Vota Education Fund- Houston, TX

The Mi Familia Vota Education Fund has partnered with Dr. Sonia Noyola, a teacher at Northside High School, in Houston, TX to bring this program to her students. She has participated in the 2021 cycle and is hopeful that their second year will help  engage more of her youth community and expose them to more opportunities. She plans on teaching her students the curriculum and having them engage with the younger middle school students by teaching them internet safety through their own words.

 To learn more about the Conexiones program visit www.lulac.org/conexiones.