Big Tobacco doesn’t stand a chance against these kids with cameras

VOICE, Indiana’s statewide youth empowerment movement, is turning up the volume on youth activism by intersecting art and commercial tobacco control through a statewide initiative.

This statewide project harnesses the power of creative expression to expose the harmful influence of Big Tobacco on Indiana youth. The initiative mobilizes local VOICE Action Squads across the state to challenge tobacco industry tactics through storytelling, art, and advocacy.

This nine-month project, designed by VOICE Youth Ambassadors, will culminate in the premiere of a powerful short film and art show from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12 at the Phoenix Theater Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St., Indianapolis.

Sunjana Malineni, a senior at Hamilton Southeastern High School, is a statewide VOICE Youth Ambassador, and she has been involved with this project since its inception. Local VOICE youth from across Hamilton County will be in attendance.

The project included:

• A Storytelling Project for Red Ribbon Week: a collection of personal stories from youth struggling with addiction and those committed to a tobacco-free lifestyle.
• A Day of Action at the Indiana Statehouse: collected commitment cards of why VOICE members are inspired to do this work.
• Artivism Campaign: a creative movement utilizing visual arts, video, and music to challenge the normalization of tobacco and vaping in communities.

“Combining art and activism is a powerful way to reach our youth and remind them of the devastating effects of tobacco and nicotine addiction,” VOICE Hamilton County Youth Coordinator Erica Strahm said. “It also gives the youth creating the art a unique, positive way to express their passion for tobacco prevention and advocacy. This project has received support on a local, state, and national level, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

At the national level, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids offered collaboration with its popular Take Down Tobacco initiative to help promote the premiere and also provided support through event sponsorship.

About VOICE
VOICE is Indiana’s youth empowerment movement dedicated to educating and mobilizing teens to lead tobacco-free lifestyles. With 19 county-based chapters and partnerships with Indiana Black Expo and Indiana Latino Institute, VOICE equips youth leaders with the tools to create meaningful change in their communities through peer education and activism.