{"id":24401,"date":"2026-09-09T12:59:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T17:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sabathani.webaloolabs.com\/?p=24401"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:59:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T17:59:44","slug":"building-a-tobacco-free-future-with-community-at-the-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sabathani.webaloolabs.com\/?p=24401","title":{"rendered":"Building a Tobacco-Free Future, With Community at the Center\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Sabathani Community Center began developing its Smoking Cessation Program<\/a> earlier this year, the first step\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0telling people how to quit. It was listening.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a program built with the community in mind and built with the community voice,\u201d said Tisha Smith, Sabathani\u2019s Smoking Cessation Coordinator. \u201cEverything that we\u2019re doing is focused on what the community thinks is beneficial to help quit smoking.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The program includes services and activities supported through two Minnesota Department of Health initiatives:\u00a0<\/span>Quit Partner Ambassadors\u00a0and\u00a0Community Driven Approaches to Cessation. Together, they support Sabathani\u2019s efforts to expand access to tobacco cessation education, resources, and community-based support.<\/p>\n

And central to that work is a simple idea:\u00a0ask the community what it needs.<\/p>\n

Starting by listening<\/h3>\n

The program began in June 2026, with a particular focus on the impact of menthol and other commercial tobacco products in Black and Brown communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Through\u00a0<\/span>Breathing Free Conversations<\/span><\/b>, Sabathani has been inviting current smokers and people interested in quitting to talk openly about their experiences with tobacco: what makes quitting difficult, what kinds of support are\u00a0actually helpful, and what healthier communities could look like.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Those conversations are already informing the program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Participants have talked about the ways tobacco products have been marketed within Black and Brown communities, as well as the role smoking can play within families and social environments.\u00a0They\u2019ve\u00a0also shared the many reasons someone might consider making a change\u2014from health and family to the rising financial cost of\u00a0smoking, or\u00a0simply feeling increasingly isolated as fewer people around them smoke.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Tisha, creating a safe, welcoming space for those conversations is essential.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The goal\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0to judge someone for smoking or insist that quitting is the only measure of success. Reducing tobacco use can be meaningful, too. Instead, Sabathani wants people to have the information, resources, and community support they need to make choices about their own health.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking support into the community<\/h3>\n

One message Sabathani has heard clearly is that people want more than information. They want\u00a0<\/span>support.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s\u00a0why the program is exploring ways to make cessation resources visible and accessible in places people already know and trust\u2014from community organizations and neighborhood businesses to barber shops and other gathering spaces.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0also behind the creation of Sabathani\u2019s new\u00a0<\/span>Smoking Cessation Community Ambassador Program<\/span><\/b><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first cohort of Ambassadors will\u00a0participate\u00a0in training, an eight-week tobacco-free curriculum, monthly meetings, and community outreach. Ambassadors will share information about quitting commercial tobacco, connect community members with cessation resources and support services, and serve as trusted advocates within the community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ambassadors can earn up to\u00a0<\/span>$1,750 over the six-month program<\/span><\/b>\u00a0by completing training and meeting participation requirements.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Get involved<\/h3>\n

There are two ways to take part in the work happening now:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Join a Breathing Free Conversation.<\/span><\/b>
\nIf you currently smoke or are interested in quitting, share your experiences and perspectives in a welcoming, judgment-free setting. What Sabathani learns through these conversations will continue to shape the program and the support it provides.<\/span> Choose a session below to learn more and sign up:<\/span><\/p>\n