If you are unable to view the message below, click here.
 

 
WELCOME to the second edition of TTAC Exchange – a technical assistance tool that goes beyond information sharing.

TTAC Exchange is designed to offer fresh insight, take an honest and direct approach to bring you information, strategies, and tools, and provide a gateway to resources on current tobacco control issues.

FINDING OUR WAY – ACHIEVING PARITY IN TOBACCO CONTROL
 
In this issue of Exchange, we will discuss the path to parity in tobacco control.

The demographic changes anticipated in the U.S. over the next decade magnify the importance of addressing disparities in health status. And research shows that tobacco control efforts have not been uniformly effective across all population groups or within strata of groups.

It is essential that the tobacco control community go beyond past accomplishments and commit to building the knowledge, skills, abilities and long-term relationships necessary to achieve parity.

We know disparities exist in tobacco control. It is time to redirect our thinking and stop seeing communities as "hard to reach" but rather as "hardly reached." Let's work together to expand and strengthen our reach and effect, so that every community can reap the benefits.

  -Dearell Niemeyer, MPH, Executive Director, TTAC

THE FOREST FROM THE TREES – UNDERSTANDING KEY CONCEPTS
 
Understanding differences between disparity, diversity and parity can be confusing.

Take a look at five key concepts that we think will help clarify things a bit.

THE TOBACCO CONTROL SUMMIT – ACHIEVING PARITY
 
TTAC provides a synopsis of one of the best resources, on the issue of parity in tobacco control: Moving Toward Health - Achieving Parity through Tobacco Control for All Communities (MTH).

MTH is a toolkit that serves as an introductory document to engage tobacco control advocates, community-based organizations, coalitions, health departments, and all levels of government organizations in a dialogue on parity that will hopefully lead to lasting effects.

NAVIGATING THE TRAIL – EXPERTS CHIME IN
 
We asked experts, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati Director, California Hispanic/Latino Tobacco Education Network, and William Robinson, Executive Council Chair of the National African American Tobacco Control Network, some difficult questions.

Read about their perspectives on the following issues.

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT

LGBT Populations and Tobacco
In this 'just released' resource, TTAC:
• Reveals the varied methods of tobacco industry marketing to
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/ Transgender (LGBT) people;
• Examines the reasons behind LGBT vulnerability to tobacco marketing messages; and
• Presents strategies and a call to action for tobacco control professionals working to decrease tobacco use prevalence among LGBT people.
For a free copy send your request to ttac@sph.emory.edu

When a butterfly flutters its wings in one part of the world, it can eventually cause a hurricane in another...
-- From Edward Lorenz and Chaos Theory

 
Broaden the information exchange… forward TTAC Exchange to partners and constituents!
 

GET THE FULL STORY
Read TTAC Exchange in its entirety.
 

TTAC CAN HELP
TTAC can provide services related to achieving parity at no, low or shared cost.

Services include tailored consultation and training in:
• Identifying appropriate assessment tools
• Developing culturally appropriate materials
• Solving conflicts and creating effective partnerships
• Preparing culturally relevant communication and outreach plans
• Providing training in cultural competency
• Developing strategic and action plans

For more information:
W:  www.ttac.org/request/int.html
E:  ttac@sph.emory.edu
P:  404-712-8474

 
EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHT
The Praxis Project
TTAC recently entered into a partnership with The Praxis Project to support tobacco control advocates with training, strategic consultation and technical assistance on core policy advocacy issues. including grassroots organizing, strategic planning, policy analysis, and coalition building.

Specifically, Praxis is offering:

• Two, three-day residential trainings for advocates to be held this summer.
*Policy Advocacy training (July) *Effective Coalition Building (August)
• Three web-based seminars on key policy advocacy issues beginning May 2003.
• On-site training and strategic consultations to groups nationwide.
• Technical assistance and training specifically on clean indoor air policy issues, with emphasis on building effective partnerships in communities of color.

For more information about The Praxis Project, visit them at: http://www.thepraxisproject.org
or call 202-234-5921
 

RESOURCES AND LINKS

Key resources on diversity, disparity and parity

What's your favorite resource? TTAC wants to hear from you...
Please let us know about any resources you have found particularly helpful, so we may add them to our website. Send suggestions directly to: ttac@sph.emory.edu

 
Coming in the July issue:
Making it Real - Effective Storytelling in Tobacco Control
 

TTAC Exchange Staff:
Aliki P. Weakland, Editor in Chief
JoAnn Weiss, Staff Writer
Lisbeth Klau, Staff Writer
 

TTAC Exchange is a complimentary subscription for the tobacco control community.
To unsubscribe send an e-mail to unsubscribe@ttac.org with ‘unsubscribe Exchange’ in the subject line.
Please send all feedback about TTAC Exchange directly to exchange@ttac.org
We appreciate your comments!
The TTAC Exchange mailing list is managed and used exclusively by the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium (TTAC). TTAC does not sell or rent information about its constituents to any third party.

Notice: All email sent to or from the TTAC Exchange email system may be retained, monitored, and/or reviewed by TTAC personnel.