Key Points: Many local tobacco control programs are anxious to spread the word of how the tobacco industry targets diverse populations. Sometimes our zeal to engage the African American community can break unspoken cultural rules and result in tobacco control becoming more offensive than the tobacco industry. This session will present a case study of one person's adverse reaction to a tobacco industry quote on a pen, which ignited a controversy that could have devastated the local tobacco control program. Through local and state partnerships, the community was catapulted to a higher level of readiness, realizing that it takes the whole community to create solutions to local problems. Presenters will give their perspective on state and local roles and resources that can be utilized to turn crisis to success. Concluding, the community members will bring their personal message of how they turned their crisis into two forums on diversity, the passage of clean indoor air and youth access ordinances, new partnerships with African American churches, and how they are taking a call to action to other communities.

Learning Objectives: After the presentation, attendees will be able to list specific resources that can assist programs with reaching diverse populations, recall the importance of presenting messages within context, and give example of how a crisis can be overcome by community mobilization.

Benefits: Attendees will gain a better understanding of how to engage the African American community.