A passionate and dedicated group from Southern California’s vibrant Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities gathered recently to hone their leadership skills at a training session conducted by Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy, and Leadership (APPEAL).

Representatives from Southern California-based AANHPI organizations, Guam Communications Network (CGN), Families In Good Health (FIGH), and Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), participated in the leadership development event, Aug. 14-15, under the auspices of APPEAL’s Community-lead Policies and Leadership to Eliminate Disparities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on Tobacco (Com-PLEAT) Program.

(Leadership training participants present a skit to highlight the cultural influences the contribute to the use of tobacco in the Cambodian community)

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) is the main focus of the ComPLEAT Program, but leadership development is also a key element intended to provide vulnerable communities with the skills needed to participate in research as equal partners, as well as the skills needed to lead their communities in campaigns aimed at addressing health disparities.

The August training sessions were designed to increase tobacco control leadership knowledge and skills among community advocates for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Cambodian communities including current tobacco issues, coalition building and policy skills, as well as to help community partners prepare for and present on their policy change projects.

EPIC and GCN’s campaigns focus on smoke-free multiunit housing and community smoke-free policies, while FIGH’s campaign focuses on smoke-free skate parks.