UNIT:
Grades 3-5

“Resident Stresses Latino Issues”

• The article discusses how Maria Luisa Tishner, a Latina resident and community leader in Indianapolis, led important efforts to educate Indiana’s Latino residents about the risks of smoking and to support the passage of legislation that banned smoking in Indiana’s public places.
• Tishner’s example demonstrates the importance of engaging and educating community members when seeking to create change in that community. As part of her advocacy, Tishner helped plan panels and workshops to better inform Latino residents about the risks of smoking.

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Tobacco Prevention & Cessation: Indiana’s State Smoke Free Air Law

• Since 2012, almost all public places in Indiana are smoke-free, which means that people are not allowed to smoke cigarettes within them.
• This law is important because both smoking and being around smoke (second-hand smoke) carry serious health risks.

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Early Start of the Indiana Latino Institute and Work on Smoking Cessation

• Tishner’s example demonstrates the importance of engaging and educating community members when seeking to create change in that community.
• Tishner thought carefully about the various tactics that she could use to effectively engage and educate community members about smoking. These included organizing students to contact government officials; directly talking to/teaching people about smoking; using compelling visuals/artifacts to get her message across; and using media outlets like radio stations.