Hi, I’m Andrea, I’m a junior at Cuba High School. I’ve been a part of Evolvement for the past three years and love the program. Evolvement is a youth led movement, promoting a healthier New Mexico, free of the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine addiction. I truly believe in the work we do because it’s so important to stop the harm Big Tobacco is causing our communities.
This fight against Big Tobacco matters to me because… Growing up I watched my grandpa’s smoking addiction get worse by the year. I used to get so worked up trying to figure out why he didn’t want to stop smoking for his family but I was never able to comprehend how hard it is to quit smoking, especially if you start at a young age. He started smoking as a teenager, but if he had a resource like Evolvement he could’ve been less likely to start smoking to begin with.
Personally, I have seen many of my close friends go through this. They constantly go through the same cycle helplessly. They fall into this unhealthy lifestyle due to peer pressure, peer pressure is one of the worst ways addiction begins. Seeing my peers so hopeless made me want to help them in any way I could, which is why I joined Evolvement. I want to make a difference. More teens in New Mexico need to be educated on what nicotine usage does to their bodies. Doing so could help them realize they need to stop depending on nicotine as much and try getting help to start a nicotine-free lifestyle.
Being in Evolvement has shown me I can use my voice for good and that can lead to positive change not only in my community of Cuba, but across New Mexico. I encourage anyone that cares about their community to join the program because not only is it a fun way to gain a ton of skills, but it also is making a real difference.
