COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

The Communities of Color Networks (CoC) is a joint initiative created by The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Tobacco Control Program (LTCP).

Tobacco-related illness, disease and death affect African-Americans almost twice as much as all other communities. This is a fact that we aim to change. To assist in this change, TFL and LTCP created the Communities of Color Networks to develop and carry out a plan for tobacco prevention and control, specifically for our African-American communities.

Parishes that have an African-American population of 25% or more were chosen as areas of focus for the CoC. The CoC provides support and technical assistance to ensure that members of our African-American communities of color are well-informed about the dangers of tobacco, and that these communities are prepared to take action to protect themselves from unhealthy exposure.

What Are Our Goals?

To respond to these growing tobacco-related health issues in our African-American communities, the CoC were created to develop and implement a tobacco prevention and control initiative specifically for our African-American communities. Our overall goal is to eliminate tobacco-related health inequalities by building these communities’ capacity:

To reduce tobacco-related illness, disease and death among African-Americans

To reduce tobacco use, consumption, and secondhand smoke exposure among African-Americans

To enhance the awareness of the danger of tobacco in African-Americans

To increase awareness of the tobacco industry’s targeting of African-Americans and the strategies used to promote tobacco use

How Are We Accomplishing Our Goals?

In order to accomplish our goals, the CoC seeks to:

Build networks with community leaders and concerned citizens to foster tobacco prevention and control programs, particularly in Louisiana parishes that have African-American populations of 25% or more

Raise public awareness about the tobacco-related health issues in low-income minority populations

Provide support and technical assistance to ensure that families, children and communities of color are well-informed of the dangers of tobacco and are equipped to take action to protect them from unhealthy exposure