Student Stories: Public Health Advocacy In Action
Undergraduate student Brooklyn Larimore, a nationally-recognized tobacco prevention advocate, explains why vaping and e-cigarette use is a major concern among healthy young adults.
- contact: College of Education
- email: unocoe@unomaha.edu
For four years, Brooklyn Larimore served as a National Youth Ambassador for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, gathering on Capitol Hill with other ambassadors to advocate with lawmakers. She was selected as a Youth Advocate of the Year in 2018. Photo courtesy of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Undergraduate student Brooklyn Larimore is pursuing COE's 15-credit minor in Public Health and a major in Medical Humanities.
Brooklyn developed a board game for middle schoolers, YOUth Decide. YOUth Decide conveys to kids how tobacco marketing affects different groups according to identity, race, and socio-economic status. Using scenario cards, players move along the game board based on the situation they select.
"The Power of Advocacy" appeared in the most recent issue of the College of Education (COE) Annual Report. At the time of the publication, undergraduate student Brooklyn Larimore was majoring in Public Health. She is now pursuing COE's 15-credit minor in Public Health and a major in Medical Humanities. Brooklyn plans to enter the field of art therapy.
A nationally-recognized tobacco prevention advocate, Brooklyn explains why vaping and e-cigarette use is a major concern among healthy young adults during this time, "Using any form of tobacco product decreases the likelihood of recovery from Covid-19 because of the damage it does to your lungs and overall health. It is important to abstain from these products to prevent further damage to the lungs."
The Power of Advocacy
For the last seven years, Brooklyn Larimore has followed her passion. And that passion has taken her from community advocacy and outreach in Nebraska all the way to lobbying efforts in Washington D.C., leading to a measurable change in both local and national policy.
"I got involved with tobacco prevention because the majority of my family used to smoke, and I personally saw the negative impacts that it had on people's health. I realized I could do something about that. I could get involved and really make my voice heard," said Brooklyn.
"Policy change is key with making a difference with tobacco prevention because policy impacts how people behave."
She began tobacco prevention work in 7th grade. A teacher encouraged Brooklyn to join No Limits, Nebraska's first youth-led and youth-driven tobacco prevention movement. She joined their board, composed of teens from across the state who are dedicated to fighting Big Tobacco and served as president for three years.
"It opened the door to the field of public health because I was exposed to the education and community outreach side and the policy side, so I was set on entering public health since the start of high school."
Through No Limits, Brooklyn presents to middle schoolers about the health risks of vaping and tobacco.
"My prevention strategy is to get at the kids early, in middle school. I've seen how education works on those ages, and they receive it better coming from a young person rather than an adult. Schools are trying to equip them to enter high school. It's harder to reach juniors and seniors, who already have influences and behaviors."
Policy change is key with making a difference with tobacco prevention because policy impacts how people behave.
In 2018, national organization Campaign for TobaccoFree Kids (TFK) honored Brooklyn as a Youth Advocate of the Year, recognizing her as a top youth leader in the fight against tobacco. Through Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Brooklyn has served as a National Youth Ambassador for almost four years. The twenty TFK Youth Ambassadors from across the country gather on Capitol Hill once a year to advocate with lawmakers. Throughout the year, the teens work with regional directors and the TFK national lobby team to help progress policies on the state level. The teens also fly to Washington D.C. to attend hearings and to lobby with U.S. Senators.
Brooklyn is also involved as a youth ambassador with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the nation's leading cancer advocacy organization, and for Truth Initiative, a national nonprofit working to create a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco. She is interim president of Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Commission (MOTAC) and works with an engaged team on Omaha-based initiatives such as smoke-free apartments and tobacco-free parks.
Through TFK and ASC CAN, Brooklyn has testified in front of the Nebraska Legislature on four bills. "This year, Nebraska passed Tobacco 21. It didn't raise the age from 18 to 21, but it was amended to 19. I testified for that bill trying to raise the age. Although we didn't get it to 21, having it at 19 is really helpful because gets it out of high schools."