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HISTORY
What is the Statewide Initiative?
The Statewide Initiative is a goal that the Phoenix Alliance chooses to focus on for a year. Typically the Initiative is a policy goal that we, as a group, think that we can affect. All though we don't lobby, the Phoenix Alliance has affected many policy changes in the past. The Statewide Initiative should also affect all of Utah, not just a specific area.
Who picks the Initiative?
The Youth Leadership Board of the Phoenix Alliance picks the new Initiative at the first yearly retreat.
What has the Phoenix Alliance done in the past?
Don't Buy Their Bull 2007-2008
Currently, the Phoenix Alliance is collected signature of support for US Smokeless Tobacco advertisements to be banned from college and university rodeos. It recently came to the Phoenix Alliance's attention that there is a loop hole in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's hand book; a college can still participate in the Rodeo if the college campus has a policy against tobacco advertisements. The Phoenix Alliance youth want to bring this to the attention of the colleges and universities around Utah to stop US Smokeless Tobacco advertisements in the college rodeos.
Label Me? Label Tobacco Instead 2006-2007
The goal for the 2006-2007 year was to help show the support that Utah residence had for the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. To accomplish this youth attended concerts and other events with petitions to obtain signatures of support. Overall 2,700 signatures were obtained. The youth also had a meeting with the Healthy Policy board of Senator Bennet to discuss the advantages of FDA regulation of tobacco. The signatures were also sent to Bennett's office, along with a personal letter from the youth.
Making It Personal 2005-2006
In this initiative, youth chose to make the statistics of tobacco-related death more meaningful by making the numbers more personal. Youth kicked off the initiative with a media event at the Gateway Mall where youth duct-taped their mouths to show the impact of Big Tobacco. Youth also collected personal storied of the lost Utahns and created a memory wall of lost loved ones (over 250 names were added to the memory wall throughout the year). Education at booths throughout the year also focused on the 1200 Utahns that die every year due to tobacco-related illness.
Second Hand Smoke 2004-2005
Bars and Clubs
In the second initiative chosen the Phoenix Alliance Youth decided to help with the grassroots education of the community around secondhand smoke (there was a bill working its way through the legislature for the 2005 session that would include bans on smoking in bars and clubs in the UICCAA). We cannot talk to people about specific pieces of legislature (that would be lobbying), so instead the Phoenix Alliance chose to implement a letter-writing campaign to 16 bars and clubs in Park City and Salt Lake letting them know that there were a lot of people who would support them if the went smoke-free. Over 1,000 letters of support were sent to the bars and clubs. No response was received. The Phoenix Alliance then decided to stop the letter writing campaign and to collect petitions showing support for smoke-free venues. A secondhand smoke presentation was developed and used in schools and youth group trainings to involve and educate more youth about the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Tobacco and Hollywood 2003-2004
This was the first initiative chosen. The Phoenix Alliance worked on a national movement, with 17 other state programs and other supporting organizations. The goal of the movement was to eliminate tobacco use in moves rated PG-13, PG, and G. The Phoenix Alliance campaign began with a press conference held at Hollywood Connection that educated the media about the dangers of showing tobacco use in movies. Later that day, at the Lord of the Rings midnight premiere, Phoenix Alliance youth started a letter writing campaign in which youth and adults were asked to write letters to either the Motion Picture Association, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Collin Ferrel, or Disney Studios asking them to either not have smoking in films, give all movies with smoking an R rating or (as with Disney) not include smoking in their films for children. Throughout the period of the campaign, the Phoenix Alliance sent over 4,000 letters to the listed people and/or companies. A presentation developed by New York's Reality Check was used to educate youth all over the state and to get other youth groups involved in the campaign. Over 50 presentations were given during the eight-month period of the campaign. The Phoenix Alliance also participated in a National Day of Action by getting petitions signed and sent to Disney Studios. Over 3,000 signatures were collected and sent. Many of the letters sent to the celebrities were sent back, and no feedback was received from either Disney or the Motion Picture Association.
The Truth eXtreme Games Finals
Hundreds of people gathered at the Sandy Skate Park on June 29th to watch the best novice and advanced in-line skaters, skate boarders and BMX riders in Utah. Each rider received (2) 1-minute runs. Professional judges chose the top 3 novice and advanced participants in each category. Scoring was based on variety, originality, craziness, style and use of the park.
In-Line
The In-Line Qualifying Event was held on June 1st at the Ogden Skate Park. There were 12 participants who entered the competition. Each rider received (2) 1-minute runs. Judges chose the top participants in the novice and advanced categories. Scoring was based on variety, originality, craziness, style and use of the park. The 12 winners moved onto the Finals that were held on June 29th at the Sandy Skate Park.
Skate Board
The Skate Board Qualifying Event was held at the Cottonwood Heights Skate Park on May 18th. There were 63 participants who competed with each other. Each rider received (2) 1-minute runs. Professional judges chose the top 10 participants in the novice and advanced categories. Scoring was based on variety, originality, craziness, style and use of the park. The 20 winners moved onto the Finals that were held on June 29th at the Sandy Skate Park.
King of the Wasatch
King of the Wasatch was held on March 8th-10th at the Park City Mountain Resort. The snowboard and skiing competition featured the half pipe, slope style, and nighttime quarter pipe. Athletes demonstrated their skills as they competed at the PayDay Super Pipe, Heckler Terrain, or the Jib Park. The competition was open to all snowboarders and skiers. Ten finalists were selected and received prizes.
BMX
On April 27th at the Proving Grounds Skate Park, 48 participants competed in the BMX Qualifying Event. Each rider received (2) 1-minute runs. Pro Riders were involved in the judging and demonstration part of the competition. Judges chose the top 10 participants in the novice and advanced categories. Scoring was based on variety, originality, craziness, style and use of the park. The 20 winners moved onto the Finals that were held on June 29th at the Sandy Skate Park.
The Truth eXtreme Games 2001-2003
The Truth eXtreme Games consisted of five separate events including snowboarding, in-line skating, skate boarding, BMX and the Finals. Participants were novice and advanced riders ages 13 to 18. Professional judges in each event chose the top 10 participants in the novice and advanced categories. Scoring was based on variety, originality, craziness, style and use of the area.
During all of the events, Phoenix Alliance educated people about tobacco and handed out promotional gear. Radio stations 94.9ZHT and Channel 105.7 were also present at all events to provide coverage of the games.