Dancing Without Tobacco

In 1998, Ballet Folklorico Xochipilli received a Mini-grant from Latino Tobacco Control Coalition. Funding was intended to give pre-adolescents, adolescents and adults a message about of risks of tobacco and second hand smoke through the dance "folklorico." We organized a large event (a dance that we named "Dancing Without Tobacco") where we gave anti-tobacco messages. We gave classes to our dance students and conducted one-on-ones tobacco outreach to their parents.

Our target audience Within Los Angeles County was Lake View Terrace (91342), Pacoima (91331), Sylmar, (91342 ) and Arleta (91331). Mission City Community Network, Inc. assisted us in this project by providing technical support.

At the end of our project, 300 Spanish bilingual (Spanish and English) pre-adolescents, adolescents and adults, from the areas of Lake View Terrace, Pacoima, Sylmar and Arleta, received anti-tobacco messages, information about second-hand smoke and understood the tobacco companies strategies to sell their product. We distributed 300 brochures in English and Spanish about the risks of tobacco use, 300 fact sheets regarding second-hand smoke and 200 multicultural photo-pamphlets for women.

Xochipilli evaluated this project through sign in sheets, pre and post tests, number of flyers, stickers, signs, and brochures distribuited and pictures of activities.