Hi John,

When I first joined the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, there was a name that kept popping up: Lincoln Mondy.

Lincoln is a filmmaker and campaigner. And his film Black Lives / Black Lungs was on my onboarding checklist. It documents young Black activists and public health researchers who are fighting back against the tobacco industry. After watching the film, it became immediately clear why the chorus sings his name. 

This week, I got to talk with Lincoln for my new interview series The Take Down. We discuss his previous and upcoming films, what motivates and grounds him in his work, and how he’s embraced being the “uncomfortable person in the room.”

"The tobacco industry found their unique flavor – menthol – that increases addiction and served it up on a platter to Black people. When they didn't take it freely, they spent billions on hiring Black people to tell them to take their platter. They spent millions on littering neighborhoods with advertisements and on price discounts to encourage Black people to purchase menthol. They spent millions courting lobbyists to strike down any mentions of menthol bans immediately by saying that they're racist."

Lincoln Mondy

BONUS: Lincoln will participate in our virtual Conversation on Intergenerational Tobacco Use and Its Cultural Impact on Black Communities, coming up on February 24th at 7:00 p.m. EST.

It's going to be a great discussion featuring leading Black voices from advocacy organizations including NAACP, National Medical Association, Black Women's Health Imperative, The Links, African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and more. I hope you'll join us.

Sincerely,

Tiyanna Stewart
Program Associate, Youth Advocacy
 

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