On Friday, August 17th, youth
Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco (FACT) members from the Wisconsin African
American Tobacco Prevention Network (WAATPN) teamed up with the American Heart
and Stroke Associations for the Most
Powerful Voices Gospel Tour's Health
& Wellness Fair at Parklawn Assembly of God.  The
health fair included educational materials, health screenings, and
giveaways.   The Most Powerful Voices Gospel Tour featured Gospel Singer Marvin
Sapp, who tied in an awareness message and urged attendees to take better care
of themselves.  

As
part of its outreach at the event, WAATPN FACT members used several educational
tools, known as FACTivisms, to educate and engage their peers in a dialogue about the
harmful effects of tobacco use.  FACT
members also raised awareness among parents and youth about Big Tobacco's
marketing practice of targeting teens. 

FACTivisms (a word created by FACT
members which combines sharing facts and engaging in activism) are fun,
educational activities that youth use to connect with their peers about tobacco
prevention efforts.  The FACTivisms
conducted at the health & wellness fair include: Call Out Candies, a game where big tobacco's tricks of the
trade are wrapped in candy paper and passed off as fake treats to demonstrate
the deceptive practice of flavoring tobacco products and wrapping it in
colorful wrappers, Hello My Name
is...Manipulicious, which prompts those in attendance to ask the
meaning behind the name and provide an opportunity for FACT members to discuss the
tobacco industry's tricks to appeal to young people, and Spot the Not, where players have to
differentiate real candy packages from flavored tobacco products which are
produced to closely resemble real sweet treats.

For more information about WAATPN visit www.waatpn.org. 
To learn more about FACT visit www.fightwithfact.com

Photo:

Wisconsin African
American Tobacco Prevention Network FACT Members to include (from left to
right):  Shemiah Campbell, , Beau Reaves,
Jamal Jenkins, Chris Davis, Chloe Spann, Kana Clipps, Noah Johnson, Kelby
Spann, and Makayla Campbell.