What is Upstream focusing on right now?
Commercial Tobacco Use Prevention Commercial tobacco and nicotine use is still the leading preventable cause of death in Oregon and disproportionally affects communities of color, people with disabilities, and those experiencing poverty. Upstream supports efforts to raise the price of tobacco, we support flavor bans, including menthol, vape, and hookah, and we support protecting the Indoor Clean Air Act (ICAA). Upstream supports other, best and emerging commercial tobacco use prevention strategies as well. In 2022 and 2023, we will be working with The Center for Black Health and Equity to build coalition capacity in Multnomah County and beyond! The coalition, TOFCO, meets twice a month over zoom.
TOFCO Youth Ambassadors Through our work with The Center for Black Health and Equity, we launched a Youth Ambassador program in early 2023 with an aim to empower African immigrant youth to advocate for their health. In Spring and Summer 2023, TOFCO Youth Ambassadors tabled at the Portland Juneteenth celebration and recorded their tobacco stories for a flavor ban campaign. TOFCO Youth Ambassadors continue to meet monthly.
Healthy Active Communities With our 2022 virtual conference, we set out to explore and expand conversations around the impacts of policy and systems change in communities related to access to nutrition security with a focus on health equity and weight inclusivity.