Each year on every third Thursday in November, The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout encourages tobacco users to quit for one day.

Program officials, advocates, and at least 100 community members will join together for a press conference ahead of the Big Queer Convo community forum calling for an end to LGBTQ tobacco-related disparities during Great American Smokeout.

WHEN:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

• Press conference: 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM

• Community Forum: 7 PM - 8 PM

* Food will be provided from 6 PM to 7PM

WHERE:

LA LGBT Center, The Village at Ed Gould Plaza Courtyard and Renberg Theater

1125 N McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Parking:

• Before 6pm, metered and street parking will be available.

• After 6pm, limited free parking will be available on level P2 in the parking structure under the Anita May Rosenstein Campus (1118 N. McCadden Place, LA, 90038). Attendees entering the lot should tell the security guard that they are attending the Smoking & Vaping in the LGBTQ Community event at the Village.

WHO:

• We Breathe: Supporting Tobacco-Free LGBTQ Communities

• UCLA LGBTQ Tobacco Study

• Out Against Big Tobacco Coalition - EQCA

• TransLatina Coalition

• Latino Equality Alliance

• LA Department of Public Health

• Dr. Michael Ong - Professor, Medicine & Health Policy and Management at UCLA, and Chair for California’s Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee

• LGBTQ advocates

WHY:

Even though tobacco use has plummeted among Americans over the past 50+ years, tobacco use and tobacco-related deaths are still disproportionately higher for LGBTQ people. New findings from #Out4MentalHealth Statewide Community Survey and UCLA’s LGBTQ Tobacco Study interviews show how factors including homophobia and stigma influence tobacco use among LGBTQ Californians. Statewide and local initiatives, such as The OUT Against BIG Tobacco Coalition, are currently advocating for common sense policies that protect LGBTQ people — especially the most vulnerable members of our community — from Big Tobacco’s predatory tactics. During this year’s Great American Smokeout, We Breathe and UCLA’s LGBTQ Tobacco Study will also launch two first-of-its-kind surveys as a collaboration to address tobacco use among LGBTQ populations.

DISCLAIMER: Photos and videos will be taken during the event.