Photo courtesy of the Academy of Mount St. Ursula
When 17-year-old Miranda Blanco, a 12th grade student at the Academy of Mount St. Ursula, in Bedford Park, decided to join a statewide movement which aims to create the first tobacco-free generation, little did she know she would later be honored with the MARO Reality Check Youth Ambassador of the Year Award (YAYA) for 2021.
Applications for the statewide award were open to students aged 13 to 18 who were part of the Reality Check program, with the awards ceremony taking place annually.
According to its website, “Reality Check is a youth-led movement in New York State that empowers youth to become leaders in their communities in exposing what they see as the manipulative and deceptive marketing tactics of the tobacco industry. The organization’s members produce change in their communities through grassroots mobilization and education.”
According to the organization, NYC Smoke Free, tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing over 480,000 annually. In New York City, 12,000 residents die from a smoking-related illness every year.
Meanwhile, the Reality Check award honors the outstanding work of young leaders in moving towards the goal of achieving the first tobacco-free generation, through fostering environments supportive of tobacco-free norms through public education efforts, mobilizing their peers, and educational outreach to decision makers.
Vonetta Dudley, Bronx Reality Check manager, said it had been an honor and a privilege to see Miranda become such a strong leader among her peers. “I am excited to see how she will continue to educate her peers and community, and help lead the change when it comes to youth tobacco smoking rates, and how we continue to educate the youth on the facts of Big Tobacco and their deadly products,” Dudley said.
This view was echoed by Jeanne DiBenedetto, coordinator of student ministry and activities at the Bedford Park school. “All of us here are very proud of Miranda’s achievements and all of the great work that our Reality Check Club has been doing these past several years!” she said.
According to Dudley, great strides have been made in combatting the tobacco epidemic. She said local youth are availing of more opportunities and finding new, fun, and creative ways to give their communities a voice, while educating their peers on the facts about tobacco’s negative health effects. She said they are also encouraging each other to be more aware of Big Tobacco.
To date, Miranda’s accomplishments include planning and carrying out virtual activities and awareness campaigns in the Bronx about the negative impact of tobacco, and what community members, youth, organizations, businesses, and elected leaders can do to help prevent youth initiation of tobacco use.
Miranda was the only student at her school to get involved with the movement, and it was her first year to do so. Reacting to her award, she said, “Becoming YAYA is a huge honor for me and winning feels like I can conquer the world during this global pandemic.” She continued, “I am so grateful for this award and being presented this opportunity.” Miranda added that following up on her plans to continue the fight to educate teenagers about Big Tobacco was an enormous privilege.
“I hope to inspire and create real change in this world by being accepted into YAYA, to educate other teenagers about the massive issue that is being spread like wildfire though social media and in real life,” she said.
For more information on NYC Smoke-Free, or to lend support in ending the City’s devastating tobacco epidemic, visit www.NYCSmokeFree.org
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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