Center Blog

By Joseph Davis, SmokeFree Project Intern

My name is Joseph Davis and I am a SmokeFree Intern at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. I joined this internship because I understand how easy it is to be a target. When I was in junior high school, I was verbally and physically bullied for being gay. Because of this experience of being rejected, I had isolated myself and looked for something that was “comforting.” A cigarette was the only friend I had that didn’t judge me, didn’t tell me what to do, didn’t tell me who I should and shouldn’t be.
It wasn’t until I was about 19 years old that I noticed that my “friend” started to deceive me. My “friend” was making me tired and weak, making it hard for me to breathe and pushing my real friends and family away. My final push to quit was when I struggled to keep my breath while performing in a dance show at the LGBT Community Center. Since that show, my family and friends have been extremely supportive and encouraged me to give up this debilitating habit. I have now been smoke-free for two-and-a-half years and am very thankful for it.

As an intern for the SmokeFree Project, I work to empower and educate young people about how the tobacco industry targets us. They’re trying to get to us through advertisements in our local bodegas and pharmacies. Not long ago, I took my 4-year-old niece to the bodega. As we waited at the cash register, my niece was staring at a wall of tobacco products. Pointing at the cigarette packages, she asked, “Uncle Joseph…what is that?” and “Can I have one?”. Studies show that youth are twice as likely as adults to recall tobacco ads, and this is a perfect example of how the tobacco companies target youth by making their products very visible to children. It is no surprise that our youth start smoking at such an early age.

The SmokeFree interns speak to community boards, elected officials and other youth organizations across New York City about this issue. We also hosted an event that educated and empowered young people – especially those in the LGBT community – about aggressive tobacco marketing here in New York City. The event consisted of presentations by the SmokeFree interns, an anti-tobacco commercial competition, an anti-tobacco t-shirt contest and anti-tobacco button making. All of these activities raised awareness about high LGBT smoking rates and how young people are targeted to be the next generation of addicted smokers.
Since becoming an intern with the SmokeFree Project, I have realized how much my family, friends and I are all affected by smoking advertisements and I know that my work as an advocate will continue well beyond the internship. It is my goal to make sure that ALL youth become aware of this issue and that we continue to encourage young people to live a healthy, smoke-free life.

For more information about the SmokeFree Project, please visit www.gaycenter.org/health/smokefree or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesmokefreeproject.

We all have those days when we just want to slip on a comfy pair of jeans and head out the door to work. Wouldn’t it be great to also give to a wonderful cause while doing so? During Summer Denim Days 2012, supporting the Center was that simple! Throughout Denim Days, companies that normally require business attire allow employees to wear jeans to the office in exchange for a donation to a cause of the organization’s choice. Thanks to participating organizations, the Center’s Young Leaders Group Summer Denim Days 2012 initiative was the most successful to date, raising over $5,000!

Young Leaders Co-Chair, Erica Kagan, commented, “We are thrilled with the great success of this year’s Summer Denim Days, and we thank all of the firms that participated in this incredible collective effort to raise much-needed funds for the Center. These crucial funds help enable the Center to continue providing its life-affirming and life-changing services.”

Kristen Kentner, the Center’s Corporate Relations Officer, also commented, “Wearing jeans to work may not seem like a way to give back, but it is. By wearing denim each participant advertises that they support the LGBT population in the workplace. That is the message we want every employee to communicate to their colleagues and denim days are a comfortable way to do that.”

The Center would like to thank participating businesses Alcoa Inc., Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Chadbourne & Parke, DLA Piper, Holland & Knight, Kelley Drye & Warren and Nixon Peabody. Fall Denim Days 2012 are currently being organized. For more information, or to reserve a Denim Day slot, please contact Kristen Kentner at kkentner@gaycenter.org or 646.358.1721.