Louisiana Tobacco Control Program

Louisiana Youth Selected for Youth Activism Fellowship

Publish date: Apr 29, 2010

Legacy, the largest national public health foundation dedicated to keeping teens from smoking and providing resources to smokers who want to quit, selected Ritney Castine of Baton Rouge, La. as one of 15 young people to represent the organization as a part of its Youth Activism Fellowship (YAF). Wright and the other Youth Activism Fellows will develop innovative and effective initiatives to help Legacy continue its efforts to communicate the harmful effects of tobacco use, with an emphasis on communicating those messages to teens and young adults across the nation.

YAF is an 18-month program, running from January 2010 through June 2011. It requires full participation and commitment from the fellows, including attending meetings and events where they will learn valuable leadership skills in the tobacco control movement through training, coaching, peer-to-peer networking and direct action.

The program asks fellows to actively engage in tobacco control advocacy at the local, regional, state and national levels individually and collectively participate in a group project designed to benefit the tobacco control and prevention movement on a national level.

“Every year, more than 400,000 Americans die from a tobacco-related disease and, unfortunately, research shows that most smokers begin smoking before the age of 18,” said Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, president and CEO of Legacy.

“Furthermore, the tobacco industry is always mindful of who the ‘next generation’ of smokers will be. To sustain the success we’ve had in curbing teen smoking and eradicating tobacco use in America, new and fresh leadership is always needed. We created the Youth Activism Fellowship as a way to further grow the skills of young people already achieving success at the local and state levels in tobacco control or public health. YAF provides them with an opportunity to expand their skills and share their knowledge with other emerging leaders on this issue.”

Castine has dedicated his time to serving as an advocate since losing his uncle to lung cancer. When Castine was 10 years old, he joined a youth advocacy group that fights against tobacco: the Boys and Girls Club in Napoleonville, La. This group fueled Castine’s passion for advocacy.

However, when the club closed three years later, he had no where to turn for support. As the result, Castine founded Peers Against Tobacco. This program has allowed him to work on the front lines of many major tobacco milestones in Louisiana, such as the following:

- Raising tobacco excise taxes - Helping to strengthen the Louisiana Smoke- Free Air Act - Assisting in increasing smoke-free spaces - Motivating other anti-tobacco advocates

In 2003, Castine received the South Region Youth Advocate of the Year award from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and is currently the Youth and Community Programs Coordinator for the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program.

Castine looks forward to expanding his knowledge of tobacco control and continuing to educate on the issue of tobacco use in America while working with Legacy.

“For the past 13 years, this has been my passion,” Castine said.

“Youth activism has become what I live for. Being able to help youth take ownership over a positive movement has always been a goal of mine.”