NJ MLK Youth Leadership Conference May 27, 2009

Aleshia Alston, founder of Ignite Change facilitated two workshops for the NJ MLK Youth Leadership Conference on May 27, 2009 at Kean University. Straight Talk, No Chaser explored the topic of teen dating violence. High School students from Central New Jersey participated in the conference. The workshop was interactive and featured an impromptu skit about teen dating violence.

2009 Young Woman's Political Leadership Retreat

A great opportunity for our girls!Let's start them young. This program also builds self-esteem...they do not need to be interested in politics to be chosen to attend!

COST: The program is entirely FREE of charge, and travel scholarships are available to sophomores, juniors and seniors!Running Start is accepting applications for their 2009 Young Woman's Political Leadership Retreat. Please share with teachers and encourage any high school girls you know to apply!!!

WHAT: Running Start encourages high school girls from across the country to channel their leadership into politics. Participants will meet extraordinary women leaders of diverse backgrounds and learn the importance of having more women in political leadership and running for office. EVEN if the girls are not interested in politics, this is a great program way for them to build self-esteem, practice public speaking and learn to collaborate with other young women.

WHO: Open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school

WHERE: American University, Washington D.C.

WHEN: July 15-19, 2009 (no applications will be accepted after February 16, 2009)

COST: The program is entirely FREE of charge, and travel scholarships are available.

APPLY ONLINE: http://www.runningstartonline.org/leadership-program/index.php

January is Stalking Awreness Month

During January 2009, communities across the country will observe National Stalking Awareness Month, a time to focus on a crime that affects 1.4 million victims a year. This year’s theme, “Stalking: Know It. Name It. Stop It.” challenges the nation to combat this dangerous crime by learning more about it.Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. One in 12 women and one in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetime, for an average duration of almost two years, and most victims are ordinary Americans.

1 Victims may experience psychological trauma, financial hardship, and even death.2 Eighty-one percent of victims stalked by an intimate partner were also physically assaulted by that partner,3 and seventy-six percent of female homicide victims were stalked prior to their death.4 Yet many victims underestimate the seriousness and impact of the crime. At first, they may view stalking as “creepy” but not dangerous. They may think that ignoring or confronting stalkers will stop them. But stalkers almost never stop, and confronting a stalker may escalate the violence.Even when victims see the danger and report the crime, stalking may be hard for authorities to recognize, investigate, and prosecute. Unlike other crimes, stalking is not a single, easily identifiable crime but a series of acts, a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause that person fear.

Stalking may take many forms—such as assaults, threats, vandalism, burglary, or animal abuse—as well as unwanted cards, calls, gifts, or visits. Stalkers may use a range of devices—such as computers, Global Position System devices, or hidden cameras—to track their victims’ daily activities. Stalkers fit no standard psychological profile, and many have been known to follow their victims from one jurisdiction to another, making apprehension by the authorities even more difficult.

Abstinence Pledge

Is anyone standing with their hand over heart anymore swearing to do or not do anything? There used to be a time when a person’s word was their bond and a person’s reputation was all they had in this world. But no more. Those times have come and gone. The greenbacks are all that matter now. If you don’t receive some type of tangible currency in your hand, most would bet that the person is running for the border with your goods. Well, in this case, the goodies.

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health have reported that virgins that pledged to abstain over the last five years have fell off the wagon and fell hard. The results show that not only are they having sex, but they are having more unprotected sex than their non-pledging counterparts. A lot of parents don’t believe in teaching their children about sex and/or safe sex. In this information age, you would think things had changed. Back in the day, the “talk” consisted of a health book and a threat. No one really explained the perils of the sexual experience when performed irresponsibly or otherwise. What do you think? Does teaching the children about sex encourage them to try it? Some experts beg to differ…so do I. I think it’s just responsible to explain all things that would keep them protected.

Read here about nearly 1,000 teenagers who need a refresher course on abstinence and/or a free pack of condoms.

I Went To a Party

I went to a party, And remembered what you said.

You told me not to drink, Mom, so I had a Sprite instead.

I felt proud of myself, The way you said I would,

that I didn't drink and drive,though some friends said I should.

I made a healthy choice, And your advice to me was right.

The party finally ended,and the kids drove out of sight.

I got into my car,Sure to get home in one piece.

I never knew what was coming, Mom,something I expected least.

Now I'm lying on the pavement, And I hear the policeman say,

the kid that caused this wreck was drunk,Mom, his voice seems far away.

My own blood's all around me,As I try hard not to cry.

I can hear the paramedic say,this girl is going to die.

I'm sure the guy had no idea,While he was flying high.

Because he chose to drink and drive,now I would have to die.

So why do people do it, Mom Knowing that it ruins lives?

And now the pain is cutting me,like a hundred stabbing knives.

Tell sister not to be afraid, Mom

Tell daddy to be brave.

And when I go to heaven,

put ' Mommy's Girl' on my grave.

Someone should have taught him,That it's wrong to drink and drive.

Maybe if his parents had,I'd still be alive.

My breath is getting shorter,Mom I'm getting really scared

These are my final moments,and I'm so unprepared.

I wish that you could hold me Mom, As I lie here and die.

I wish that I could say, 'I love you, Mom!'So I love you and good-bye.

1-800-GET-MADD (1-800-438-6233)

National Drunk and Drugged Prevention Month

Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

This December, during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month), consider what you and your community can do to make injuries and deaths from impaired driving less of a threat.

The Problem

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.
In 2006, 13,470 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.

In one year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This accounts for less than 1% of the 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol–impaired driving among U.S. adults each year. Alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion a year.

Protect Yourself and Your Family and Friends

During the holiday season, and year-round, take steps to make sure that you and everyone you celebrate with avoids driving under the influence of alcohol. Following these tips from NHTSA can help you stay safe:

Plan ahead. Always designate a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins.

Take the keys. Do not let a friend drive if they are impaired.

Be a helpful host. If you’re hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

Know How Communities Can Help

Proven community and state-level methods for reducing alcohol-impaired driving include:
Sobriety checkpoints. Studies found that fatal crashes thought to involve alcohol dropped by about 22% following implementation of sobriety checkpoints.

Minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws. Studies found that raising the MLDA to 21 reduced crashes by about 16% among people ages 18-20 years.

0.08% BAC laws. Fatal alcohol-related crashes declined about 7% after 0.08% BAC laws were passed.

"Zero tolerance" laws for young drivers. Three studies found that zero tolerance laws resulted in declines in fatal crashes among drivers ages 18.20 years of between 9% and 24%

December 1 is World AIDS Day

Every adolescent who has had sex or injected drugs is at risk for HIV the virus that causes AIDS. It is important to get tested. Thankfully, due to outreach programs and education, progress is being made but it is not enough. There is more work to be done. It is important to limit or stop high risk behavior. High risk behavior is having multiple sex partners, not using condoms, and drug use.

According to the CDC :Trends in HIV- and STD-Related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students --- United States, 1991--2007
Persons who engage in unprotected sexual intercourse or use injection drugs are at increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Changes in HIV- and STD-related risk behaviors among high school students in the United States during 1991--2005 were reported previously. During 1991--2007, the percentage of U.S. high school students who ever had sexual intercourse decreased 12%, the percentage who had sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their lifetime decreased 20%, and the percentage who were currently sexually active decreased 7%. Among students who were currently sexually active, the prevalence of condom use increased 33%. However, these changes in risk behaviors were not observed in some subgroups. In addition, no changes were detected in the prevalence of sexual risk behaviors from 2005 to 2007, and many students still engaged in behaviors that place them at risk for HIV infection and STDs.