Let''s celebrate the Sault Tribe offering smoke-free housing.
Here is a letter from Jim Bergman of the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project
Hi all,
Thought you'd be interested in a news report at http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=47539 that describes a wonderful event yesterday at the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians housing in Kincheloe, Michigan. On April 19th, the Sault Tribe Housing Authority adopted a smoke-free policy for some of their over 500 units of housing. This was the culmination of over 2 years of work by the Sault Tribe Strategic Alliance for Health Project, the Sault Tribe Tobacco Task Force, the Sault Tribe Housing Authority, the Sault Tribal Youth Council, the Chippewa County Tobacco-Free Living Coalition, the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project and the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Yesterday, we all celebrated the adoption of the smoke-free policy with the presentation of an award to the Sault Tribe Housing Authority, a press conference at the residence of one the families in a duplex that is now smoke-free (great photo of the family in the news article) and then a reception at the housing authority office, followed by a radio interview in Sault Ste. Marie. It was wonderful to see the pride of the members of the Sault Tribe Housing Authority board and of Sault Tribe chairman Joe McCoy in having become the first tribal housing authority in Michigan and just the 5th in the nation to have adopted a smoke-free policy. At present, the housing authority has designated 4 existing duplexes as smoke-free as well as a triplex with 9 units for the elderly which will be constructed in the next year. Additional units will be designated smoke-free over the next few years. (attached is a copy of the smoke-free policy.)
Many people worked to make this happen, but special kudos go to Donna Norkoli and Lauren Eveleigh of the Sault Tribe Health Center, Julie Trotter of the Chippewa County Health Department, and Joni Talentino, Executive Director of the Sault Tribe Housing Authority, and her staff members Mariea Mongene and Cathi Menard, as well as the Sault Tribe Housing Authority board members. It has been a great pleasure to work with all of them over the past 2 years. We look forward to others of the 11 tribal housing authorities in Michigan also adopting smoke-free policies.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. -- Frederick Douglass
Michigan Multicultural Network
The Michigan Multicultural Network “MCN” is funded by the Michigan Department of Community Health – Tobacco Control Section.The MCN is comprised of leadership from the African American, Arab American, Asian American, Latino/Hispanic American and the Native American communities.The MCN is committed to promote awareness about tobacco use and its impact on communities of color.
Mission Statement
The MCN has been organized to educate, promote and advocate involvement in tobacco abuse prevention and related issues, collectively addressing ethnic and culturally competent perspectives.
Vision Statement
The MCN provides the leadership capacity for service delivery, education, information and advocacy to positively impact the health and well being of communities of color in the state of Michigan.
Here is a link to thier website!! be sure to check it out.
Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) 28551 Southfield Rd. Suite 204 Lathrup Village, MI 48076 313-584-4137 Wally Alitahaif
Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services (ACCESS) 6450 Maple Rd. Dearborn, MI 48126 313-216-2232 Dr. Wisam Salman
The Asian Center Grand Valley State Univ. School of Social Work DeVos Center, Room 361 401 W. Fulton Grand Rapids, MI 49504 616-331-6559 Dr. Douglas Chung
Latino Family Services 3815 W. Fort Detroit, MI 48216 313-841-7380 Mitzi Cortes/Maria Thacker South Eastern Michigan Indians Inc. (SEMII) 26641 Lawrence Center Line MI, 48015 586-756-1350 Euphemia "Sue" Parrish
The Michigan Multicultural Network has developed a multi-language Smoke-free Home Pledge Brochure. The intent of the brochure is to have members of the communities of color commit to healthy life-style choices by pledging to keep their homes and vehicles smoke-free. This brochure may be previewed by using the following link:
We will be adding more information on the MCN and our work very shortly.
