Toss Out Tobacco is an initiative led by the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health and funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The goal of this two-year project is to reduce and prevent tobacco use among African American men and youth in the 21-county Delta River Region in Western Mississippi. Collaborators include the NAACP Mississippi State Conference, We-Collab, Delta Community Solutions, and Healthy Places by Design.
Healthy Places by Design’s role in Toss Out Tobacco is to build capacity among Delta-based community organizations to fight back against the destructive influence of the tobacco industry and its products in the region. Our approach is to create and facilitate a peer learning network, within which local organizers and leaders can share best practices, brainstorm solutions to common challenges, and develop supportive relationships to advance health and equity.
"Healthy Places by Design's ability to connect with the community and develop culturally appropriate strategies to build capacity has enabled us to create a network of partners and strengthen our efforts to reduce tobacco-related health disparities in the Mississippi Delta."
SANDRA C. MELVIN, DrPH, MPH
Chief Executive Officer, Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health
Engaging people most impacted by an issue is vital for effective community solutions. This blog features the work of Black-led organizations that are charting a courageous path by reducing tobacco disparities in the Mississippi Delta and beyond.