ANNOUNCING OUR BARRIE FISKE NATIONAL YOUTH ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR
The Barrie Fiske National Youth Advocate of the Year Award is presented to one exceptional youth advocate in the U.S. who has worked to reduce tobacco use in their state and community. The award pays tribute to the extraordinary life and work of the late Barrie Fiske, a tireless tobacco control champion and longtime member of our Board who used her strong voice to fight for change.
We’re proud to present this year’s award to Carina Chen of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma! |
About Carina Chen
From an early age, Carina Chen witnessed the harmful effects of smoking on her community and family. Her grandfather suffered from lung cancer, and her father struggled to quit smoking, finally succeeding with the persistent encouragement of her mother. Inspired by her mother’s resilience and her father’s courage, she felt a deep responsibility to become an advocate and stop the tobacco industry from preying on youth and other targeted communities.
Carina’s passion led her to join Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a youth-led initiative sponsored by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust. She has worked to raise awareness in her community, especially among Asian immigrant families with high smoking rates, about the dangers of tobacco use and how to access prevention and cessation resources. She has also advocated to include robust tobacco prevention education in the wellness policies of Oklahoma City Public Schools and led a vaping education campaign at her school.
At the state level in Oklahoma, Carina in 2022 successfully advocated for the Prevention of Youth Access to Tobacco Act, which prioritized education and cessation over punishment in addressing youth use of tobacco products. The following year, she worked with the American Cancer Society to help pass a law that expanded access to cancer screenings and targeted treatment.
Carina’s commitment to public health advocacy extends beyond tobacco. As the co-founder of Plover, a student-led nonprofit, she has helped mobilize over 300 students nationwide to donate more than 100,000 hygiene products to several countries and raise over $11,000 for public health initiatives.
Carina’s advocacy reflects a deep commitment to empower individuals and communities to live healthier lives, free from preventable health risks like tobacco addiction.
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That's a wrap! We’ve officially unveiled all of this year’s honorees. If you missed any of the announcements, you can catch up at tfk.org/Awards.
I hope you'll join us later this week as we come together in community to recognize these remarkable honorees and reaffirm our shared commitment to public health. Sincerely, |
