Youth Summit 2009 - July 22nd - 24th

Free Youth Summit Organized by the Center and BREATHE

What is YOUTH SUMMIT? - Youth Summit is a free three day fun filled event at Valley of the Moon Camp in Sonoma County, California, July 22^nd to 24^th. The purpose of Youth Summit is to prepare students to participate in tobacco-free campaigns, in their schools and communities. There will be exciting workshops in the daytime and fun activities at night! Students will have fun, learn skills, and become positive active members in our community. The Youth Summit is sponsored by Breathe California – Sacramento Emigrant Trails, Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center, and funded by the Sacramento County Health & Human Services Department and Sacramento County Tobacco Litigation Settlement Funds.

Click here for more information and application!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!  The Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center will hold its first Youth Film Premiere in collaboration with California Voices this May 14, 2009 from 5-8:30 at the Crest Theatre, Sacramento.  Hundreds of youth from more than 14 schools will be featuring their youth-produced videos about issues in their lives and communities.  The event will also include an anti-tobacco public service announcement contest.  The event is FREE and will include free beverages and snacks.  For more info, visit www.sccsc.org.

A New Partner and Sponsorship of the Youth Film Premiere

Thank You SSCFL! With their commitment to building healthy communities by increasing citizen participation and grass-roots collaboration in mind, the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders (SSCFL) is partnering with ACT-UP and California Voices to help Roll Out the Red Carpet. So who is SSCFL? The SSCFL is oversee and staffed by the Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA). In their words:

The Community

The area of South Sacramento served by this coalition is bounded by Highway 50 to the north, Elder Creek Road to the south, Highway 99 to the west and Power Inn Road to the east. With a population of approximately 73,000, this is one of the most ethnically diverse and economically challenged areas in Sacramento County.

The Coalition

The South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders (SSCFL) strives to create a community where youth are valued and are given the opportunity to grow, be safe and realize their full potential.

We envision a community where youth are able to not only create a positive vision for their future, but also to be actively engaged as leaders in their community. We believe the entire community, working together, can have a major lasting impact on the youth in our community.

As a broad-based neighborhood coalition, our mission is to affect the lives of young people by creating a network of assets and resources, promoting a positive image of youth, and garnering political power to influence broad, sustainable youth development policies.

The SSCFL is made up of youth, parents, educators, service providers, local government, businesses, churches and community leaders. We have worked together through the years, but in spring 2006 we formally joined forces as a REACH Community Action coalition.

The coalition is overseen and organized by the Sacramento Mutual Housing Association, which operates two affordable housing communities in the Lemon Hill neighborhood of South Sacramento.

New Partner - American River Parkway Half Marathon

In the interest of protecting public health and the environment, Sac Fit has become a new partner and adopted a smoke-free policy for all their outdoor fitness events!  This year the American River Parkway Half Marathon will be smoke-free.  Here are three reasons why smoke-free outdoor events are good policy:

1. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke.
2. Cigarette butts and packaging are the number one source of litter.  In addition, discarded butts contain deadly chemicals harmful to animals, plants and waterways. 
   
3. Lit cigarettes are a major cause of fires.  In 2008, more than 1,000 fires were caused by a discarded tobacco product.  Moreover, the 2001 Viejas fire in San Diego which burned 2,300 acres and 16 building was caused by a lit cigarette.

Do your body and mind a favor: Join more than 2500 participants for the May 2, 2009 half marathon on the scenic American River Parkway trail.