“Talk. I Hear You” Is 2014 Youth Town Hall Message

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Empowerment Zone Coalition
Detroit, Michigan

Introduction
Among all 50 states, Michigan (PDF—341KB) ranks 27th in the percentage of alcohol consumed by underage drinkers. The rate of underage drinking, however, varies widely by community and can have a far greater impact on families and communities already affected by poverty and unemployment.

Since its formation in 1996, the Empowerment Zone Coalition (EZC), a nonprofit organization with a strong emphasis on promoting wellness for Detroit’s largely African American Eastside community, has developed and nurtured a network of more than 100 organizations and individuals in support of EZC’s alcohol and drug prevention activities. The organization joined forces with the Butzel Family Recreation Center and the Detroit Recreation Department to organize a May 20, 2014, Town Hall Meeting in conjunction with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Prevention Week.

Event Description
The “Think, Don’t Drink,” Town Hall Meeting was designed to educate youth ages 10 to 18 about the consequences of underage drinking and engage them in prevention. The Honorable Mary Sheffield, a member of the Detroit City Council, provided a welcome and an inspirational message, followed by a panel and audience discussion on underage drinking. Young people gave powerful testimonies about their experiences and urged others not to engage in underage drinking. The highlight of the program was a live performance by youth members of Real Talk Players in a skit they created, titled “Talk. I Hear You.” The title of the skit was inspired by the theme and content of SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You.” underage drinking prevention campaign. Refreshments and live music followed the program. The Town Hall Meeting was promoted through Facebook, e-mail blasts, and assistance and announcements from partners at various community meetings and events.

Measure of Success
More than 100 people attended the event. Approximately 90 percent were teens, with many representing four area high school after-school programs. Students enthusiastically responded to the “Talk. I Hear You.” performance. According to the 61 evaluations completed by attendees:

• Youth gained new knowledge about the consequences of underage drinking;
• Participants reported that, based on what they had learned, they had decided to avoid alcohol; and
• Audience members planned to share Town Hall Meeting underage drinking prevention information with peers.

Following the Town Hall Meeting, the Butzel Family Recreation Center reported an increase in enrollments in their after-school program, which includes alcohol prevention education. Other EZC partners at the Town Hall Meeting agreed to communicate the information presented during the event to their youth constituencies. Youth from the Butzel Family Recreation Center continued disseminating underage drinking prevention information to others and designed a bulletin board about the issue for the Center.

Next Steps
Based on the organization’s success in attracting young people to the Town Hall Meeting, EZC plans to increase its visibility on Facebook and its use of the site to deliver prevention messages to Detroit teens. EZC also plans to collaborate with Detroit’s prevention and treatment community to spread the message of “Think before you drink” and encourage partnering organizations to integrate underage drinking prevention strategies in their programming. Through its other initiatives and programs for youth ages 10 to 17, parents, and faith-based groups, EZC will deliver updated community underage drinking data, as well as new information about evidence-based prevention. EZC and its partners look forward to participating in the next round of SAMHSA-supported Town Hall Meetings.

Contact
Doreen Turk-White
info@ezcoalition.org

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