London's calling: Voice ambassadors win award, D.C. trip for tobacco prevention work

Stacy London was busy at work for her local parks and recreation department when she got a phone call she’ll never forget.

Her seventh-grade daughter needed advice.

“She called and said a friend invited her to the park,” London recalled. “And then she asked if she wanted to vape.”

This was a close friend who’d stayed the night at the Londons’ home and someone her daughter trusted and whose friendship she enjoyed. At the same time, she was well aware of the dangers of vaping.

“Mom, what do I do?” she asked.

“I told her to stay strong and say, ‘I know that’s really harmful, and I don’t want to be involved with that,’” London said. “I warned her that it could end the relationship but told her that you have be strong enough to say no to your peers.”

A staunch tobacco-free advocate who had worked in Hamilton County as a tobacco control coordinator, London found a new calling after her daughter’s experience, and she discovered that teens themselves often make the best role models for one another – a type of positive peer pressure 180 degrees removed from what took place that day in the park. But a little timely advice and support from a caring adult certainly didn’t hurt, either.

Photo caption: Voice Indiana Group Youth Advocates of the Year Award winners are Nicole Liu, Hannah Martin, Suhita Chintalacharuvu and Brenna Bastin. They visited Washington, D.C., for the award ceremony in May.

Finding their Voice

Describing her work as the result of a “snowball effect” aimed at preventing youth from ever starting tobacco use, London eventually came aboard the Indiana Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation (TPC) team. She serves as statewide Voice Indiana coordinator, and in doing so, helps young people use their voices to stay – and encourage fellow students to stay – tobacco-free. The work of London and her current Voice team registered loudly and clearly with a national organization that honored the group this month with an award – and an accompanying experience – they’ll never forget.

It started with another unexpected phone call.

“[Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Director of Youth Advocacy] Gustavo Torres called late on a Friday afternoon,” said London. “It was after work hours. I was kind of dreading the call because I was afraid we wouldn’t win.”

Despite her trepidation, London learned from Torres the team indeed had been named 2023 Group Youth Advocates of the Year. Keeping the happy news from the group turned out to be no small feat, but the payoff was worth it.

“They all kind of squealed,” London said. “They were so excited. We’re all thrilled.”

Soon after, congratulations came in from other state programs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and elsewhere, further affirming that the work the teens were doing was something not only to be celebrated but also emulated elsewhere. Four Voice ambassadors were selected as Youth Advocates of the Year for their work in organizing Voice Youth Day at the Indiana Statehouse, which took place Jan. 18 and brought more than 250 students to downtown Indianapolis to speak with state legislators about the dangers of vaping. Brenna Bastin (Hancock County), Suhita Chintalacharuvu (Hamilton County), Nicole Liu (Hamilton County), and Hannah Martin (Vanderbugh County), all seniors, were selected by London due to their years of work as advocates. Out of a group of worthy candidates, London picked these four seniors whose work was especially worthy of recognition, though she noted all the advocates were deserving in one way or another.

The four were recognized in Washington, D.C., at the Catalysts for Change awards ceremony on May 18, accompanied by their parents as well as London.

New generation

The students were excited and optimistic about the trip, as well as grateful for the recognition. The award centered on Voice Indiana’s “Link-Up to be Tobacco Free” campaign, which united the students with red, white and blue paper links. London said the red links represented the hope that someone the students know could break their addiction to tobacco. The white links symbolized the students’ pledge to live tobacco-free, while the blue links were representative of the students’ advocacy work in their own communities.

London spoke of the creativity the students have exhibited in spreading their message, such as focusing on mental health, peer-to-peer education about tobacco use, painting pumpkins, planting trees and more. The goal is to stay at least one step ahead of the commercial tobacco industry, which London said continues to target children and teens. Students like Bastin and Chintalacharuvu are keenly aware that tobacco companies view them and other young people as potential future customers, and their advocacy is rooted in removing that bullseye from as many other youths as possible.

“I believe that if we continue to educate and push our cause, we can achieve our goal to help Hoosiers become tobacco- and nicotine-free,” said Bastin, who joined her county action squad after learning about VOICE Indiana from her mother. “The new generation is the new motivated population. We’re the generation of change, and together we can achieve anything we put our minds to.”

Bastin said she was “truly astounded” at January’s Statehouse turnout and sees it as further motivation to continue her work.

Chintalacharuvu joined Hamilton County Voice during her sophomore year. She feels the advocacy work is making a difference in public health. “I believe Voice can have a huge impact on the health of Hoosiers,” she said. “From my time connecting with students and adults through Voice, I’ve learned that one of the main issues behind tobacco and drug use is that users don’t know the full extent of what they are using. Many of our campaigns are focused on education, and this can greatly help Hoosiers understand what these harmful products are and how to avoid using them.”

Ahead of their visit to the nation’s capital, the students said they were “thrilled and honored” by the award.

“This award was justification that we are making steady and positive progress and has shown me the many other groups that have the same goals as Indiana Voice, which makes me so happy that we are not in this fight alone,” Chintalacharuvu said.

Message heard, lesson learned

Years after that day in the park, Stacy London’s mission is just as clear now as it was then. Her daughter recently completed her freshman year of college with straight A’s. She chose not to vape, smoke or use any form of tobacco along the way – a credit to the lesson she learned years ago.

Though neither knew it at the time, the incident in the park was a pivotal moment in their lives, and the simple gesture of one teen girl declining to try a substance known to be harmful had a ripple effect on many young people who may one day face the same decision. London and her team of ambassadors hope others continue to make the same choice, even if the person offering the cigarette or vaping device is a close, trusted friend.

“Our goal is to prevent youth from ever starting,” London said. I’m thrilled with where we’ve landed right now. I really do love this work.”