Apr
22
7:00 AM07:00

Earth Day 2025

Earth Day, April 22

Public health advocates across the state have an opportunity to raise awareness about the devastating consequences to our environment of commercial tobacco growing, manufacturing, and use.

ABOUT THE EVENT

Each year, CYAN supports local and campus-based activities hosted on or around Earth Day to increase awareness of the devastating impact commercial tobacco has on the environment.

CYAN offers free support and resources to any college campus that would like to host an event and raise awareness on their campus. By registering with CYAN for Earth Day, campuses will receive: free tote bags to give to students on campus (if interested), Event Toolkit with event ideas and forms, educational materials, and social media resources.

REGISTRATION

Registration for this event is open to California colleges and universities and California Tobacco Prevention Program (CTPP) funded agencies supporting institutions of higher education. Registration is open through Friday, April 11, 2025.

LEARN MORE

Get educated on how commercial tobacco impacts the environment.

PLAN AN EVENT

Earth Day festivals and events are a great place to share how tobacco and nicotine products negatively impact the environment. Stay tuned for the 2025 Earth Day Toolkit which will include information to engage and educate community and campus members on strategies to eliminate tobacco waste and secondhand smoke from our environment.

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Use your social media pages to share information about tobacco’s impact on the environment. New messages will be released in late March 2025 which can be used to educate students on how tobacco products harm the environment. And, consider sharing the The Earth is Not Disposable: Nicotine Vape Waste video or the Tobacco and the Environment video. More guidance for sharing messages is available here.

Need help with posting messages? Contact info@cyanonline.org or follow @cyanonline on Instagram for more information.

ENCOURAGE QUIT ATTEMPTS

Support friends and families in quitting tobacco. Quit tips and resources for youth and young adults are available at cyanonline.org/quit-tobacco. All Californians can get help quitting at https://kickitca.org.

CLEAN UP YOUR COMMUNITY

Walk around your neighborhood and community (practicing proper social distancing) and clean up tobacco waste. Make sure to wear gloves and bring an air-tight container to hold the waste. Take note of the types of products you are picking up and where, for example, near a park or school. Share your findings with with coalition members, community leaders, and the media.

EDUCATE DECISION MAKERS

Reach out to local decision makers, state legislators, and campus administrators and educate them on how tobacco use impacts your local communities. Working on a smoke/tobacco-free policy? Utilize information about tobacco’s impact on the environment to further encourage smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and to create a plan to reopen smoke/tobacco-free.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Apr
28
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

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Mar
24
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to news and ongoing challenges from our communities. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Youth SECs take place on the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm - 2:00pm, with the exception of December (no call scheduled that month due to the holiday).

Registration

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Youth Quest 2025
Mar
10
8:00 AM08:00

Youth Quest 2025

Youth Quest is an annual event hosted by CYAN to celebrate and promote youth advocacy in tobacco control. Youth Quest provides an opportunity for youth advocates to demonstrate their commitment to a smoke and tobacco-free California, learn about current tobacco prevention efforts, and build their advocacy skills by sharing their local work with legislators.

This year’s Youth Quest event will be held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento and the State Capitol. Registration for this year’s event will open in early January 2025. More information about Youth Quest is available here.

View Event →
Feb
24
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to news and ongoing challenges from our communities. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Youth SECs take place on the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm - 2:00pm, with the exception of December (no call scheduled that month due to the holiday).

Registration

View Event →
Jan
27
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to news and ongoing challenges from our communities. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Youth SECs take place on the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm - 2:00pm, with the exception of December (no call scheduled that month due to the holiday).

Registration

View Event →
Nov
25
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to news and ongoing challenges from our communities. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Youth SECs take place on the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm - 2:00pm, with the exception of December (no call scheduled that month due to the holiday).

Registration

View Event →
Nov
21
12:00 AM00:00

Great American Smokeout 2024

Great American Smokeout 2024

For more than 40 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November.  Great American Smokeout activities provide an opportunity for individuals, college campuses, community groups, businesses, health care providers, and others to encourage people who use tobacco to use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and initiate a tobacco quit plan on the day of the event .

The Great American Smokeout is traditionally held on the third Thursday of November; however, your campus might choose to plan the event on a different day to accommodate your campus calendar. Great American Smokeout is on November 21, 2024.

Registration

Registration for this year’s event is closed.

Great American Smokeout Events on Campus

CYAN provides free resources to California colleges and universities interested in hosting campus events to motivate and support students and campus community members in quitting tobacco. Resources include quit kits, print educational and cesation materials, and tools to generate ideas for on-campus events and activities.

Quit Kits

Quit kits are designed to support individuals who use tobacco in quitting by providing an assortment of quit tools and resources. This year’s quit kits include items such as mint toothpicks, tea bag, hard candy, textured sticker, water enhancer, quit brochure, a pen, and a note pad for individuals to document cravings and triggers. CYAN sends campuses all supplies and campus partners can build the quit kits and add additional resources or materials, if interested.

Customizable quit kit materials are available in English, Spanish, and for Student Veterans. When registering, individuals can select which quit kits they are interested in receiving. Quit kits will be distributed to California campuses and organizations that register for the event in early November.

Educational Materials

Posters, flyers, fact cards, and other educational materials are available free of charge to help promote tobacco cessation on your campus. If you would like these additional materials for your Great American Smokeout and other events on campus, please click here.

Digital Vape and Tobacco Quit Support Guide

CYAN provides a digital support guide which offers tips on how to start a quit journey, helpful techniques to manage cravings and triggers, journaling prompts, and free and anonymous support resources.

Great American Smokeout Event Toolkit

CYAN provides an Event Toolkit which offers event ideas, social media messaging, and resources for education, advocacy, and tobacco treatment. A new Event Toolkit will be shared for the 2024 GAS event.

SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCES - NEW!

Interested in posting social messages to promote GAS and your event? We’ve created a series of social media messages designed to promote quitting tobacco. There are messages that can be used throughout this week to motivate quit attempts.  Make sure to “follow” CYAN on social media so you can re-post our messages and we can see your posts.  You can find us on Instagram at @cyanonline

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

If you would like to request educational materials to from Kick It California, visit here. Kick It California provides free support for individuals in California to quit tobacco. For more information about the helpline, please visit kickitca.org.

For more information about this event, please contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Oct
28
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Coordinator Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to news and ongoing challenges from our communities. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Youth SECs take place on the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm - 2:00pm, with the exception of December (no call scheduled that month due to the holiday).

Registration

View Event →
Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference
Jul
15
to Jul 18

Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference

CYAN’s annual statewide conference is designed for youth who are working on making their communities smoke and commercial tobacco-free, and offers them the opportunity to learn more about advocacy and practice their skills.  The summer conference strives to strengthen youth engagement in local policy, systems, and environmental change efforts by providing young people with training on a variety of skills and topics related to coalition development, data collection, public speaking, community engagement, and working with decision makers. 

View Event →
May
20
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
May
8
3:00 PM15:00

Community College Strategy Exchange

The CYAN Community College Strategy Exchange is designed for individuals working with California community colleges on smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and tobacco treatment. Each Strategy Exchange will create a space to share updates on local community college efforts and brainstorm strategies for collective statewide action. Register for the monthly discussion here.  

This call will be held monthly on the second Wednesday at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. For more information, contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Smoke and Tobacco-Free College Conference
May
2
9:00 AM09:00

Smoke and Tobacco-Free College Conference

The California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) will be hosting a virtual Smoke and Tobacco-Free College Conference on Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 9:00am - 4:00pm

SCHEDULE

Morning Sessions (9:00am – 12:00pm)

The statewide conference will kick off with a focus on young adult college student tobacco use and strategies for supporting quit attempts. Sessions will highlight emerging tobacco-related challenges for California colleges and universities; current tobacco use among college students; strategies colleges are using to support students in quitting tobacco.

Afternoon Sessions (1:00pm - 4:00pm)

The afternoon sessions will be dedicated to student engagement and advancing smoke and tobacco-free policies at California Community Colleges. Participants will hear from young adults who will share strategies for engaging students in tobacco prevention and treatment intiatiives; staff from colleges and community partners who will highlight successes in partnering with students; and a research team on what factors contribute to successful smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption on community college campuses.

AUDIENCE

This Conference is open to anyone working with or interested in learning more about addressing tobacco use at a college or university. 

COST

There is no cost to attend this event.

REGISTRATION

Registration is required to attend the event. 

QUESTIONS

For additional information about this event, please contact info@cyanonline.org.


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Apr
30
10:00 AM10:00

Best Practices for Using Social Media to Motivate and Support Youth and Young Adult Quit Attempts (April 2024)

This webinar, held in April 2024, focused on utilizing social media to motivate and support youth and young adult quit attempts. Structured as a case study, the webinar provided an overview of CYAN’s paid digital cessation campaigns which began in 2020 and were consumer tested with youth and young adult audiences throughout California. Topics included campaign development, testing messages with youth and young adults, message preferences, and campaign outcomes. This webinar also shared CYAN’s best practices for crafting messages to support and motivate quit attempts, as well as the digital cessation resources CYAN has available for the field.

Webinar Recording

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Apr
22
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Mar
13
3:00 PM15:00

Community College Strategy Exchange

The CYAN Community College Strategy Exchange is designed for individuals working with California community colleges on smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and tobacco treatment. Each Strategy Exchange will create a space to share updates on local community college efforts and brainstorm strategies for collective statewide action. Register for the monthly discussion here.  

This call will be held monthly on the second Wednesday at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. For more information, contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Feb
26
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Feb
22
10:00 AM10:00

Youth Quest Coordinator Webinar

Adult partners who will be attending Youth Quest 2024 are encouraged to attend the pre-event Coordinator Webinar. This webinar will provide guidance to coordinators on how to prepare for the event, review the agenda and Youth Quest key messages,, and discuss legislative visits. The webinar will be recorded and shared with all registered adult partners.

View Event →
Feb
14
3:00 PM15:00

Community College Strategy Exchange

The CYAN Community College Strategy Exchange is designed for individuals working with California community colleges on smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and tobacco treatment. Each Strategy Exchange will create a space to share updates on local community college efforts and brainstorm strategies for collective statewide action. Register for the monthly discussion here.  

This call will be held monthly on the second Wednesday at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. For more information, contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Jan
22
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Jan
10
3:00 PM15:00

Community College Strategy Exchange

The CYAN Community College Strategy Exchange is designed for individuals working with California community colleges on smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and tobacco treatment. Each Strategy Exchange will create a space to share updates on local community college efforts and brainstorm strategies for collective statewide action. Register for the monthly discussion here.  

This call will be held monthly on the second Wednesday at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. For more information, contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Dec
13
3:00 PM15:00

Community College Strategy Exchange

The CYAN Community College Strategy Exchange is designed for individuals working with California community colleges on smoke/tobacco-free policy adoption and tobacco treatment. Each Strategy Exchange will create a space to share updates on local community college efforts and brainstorm strategies for collective statewide action. Register for the monthly discussion here.  

This call will be held monthly on the second Wednesday at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. For more information, contact Symphanie Algodon at symphanie@cyanonline.org.

View Event →
Nov
27
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Nov
14
10:00 AM10:00

Practices to Build Safe Youth Spaces (November 2023)

This webinar is the third in a series on the foundational concepts of youth engagement.

WEBINAR OVERVIEW

Learning youth engagement concepts is helpful, but how can adult partners apply them in community settings? Through this session, CYAN will provide tools, ideas, and even model practices that create safe and welcoming spaces. Participants will learn how to use community agreements, community circles, and decision-making processes to navigate conflict and nurture healthy group dynamics.  

WEBINAR SERIES DETAILS

Youth have the ability and right to be a part of the decisions that impact their life, yet young people are not always welcome within decision-making spaces or processes. As adult coordinators, allies, and partners, it is crucial to create and advocate for environments where youth can express their agency without systematic barriers.  

In collaboration with TCCC (Tribal Community Coordinating Center) and the LGBTQ Center OC, CYAN (California Youth Advocacy Network) has developed a webinar series to discuss foundational concepts of youth engagement, restorative and social justice practices, as well as youth-centered spaces – which can all help to nurture authentic youth-adult partnerships. Come and join an informative series and be a part of the movement to expand youth voice and action. 

View Recorded Webinar

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Nov
7
10:00 AM10:00

Taking a Step Back to Move Forward (November 2023)

This webinar is the second in a series on the foundational concepts of youth engagement.

Webinar Overview

There are many systems that inform our practices. This includes the way we teach, learn, and engage with one another. This session will focus on the ways laws, culture and social norms influence the way we perceive and interact with youth. Participants will learn the importance of regularly dismantling and unlearning practices that oppress youth and how to become adult allies that empower youth. 

Webinar Series Details

Youth have the ability and right to be a part of the decisions that impact their life, yet young people are not always welcome within decision-making spaces or processes. As adult coordinators, allies, and partners, it is crucial to create and advocate for environments where youth can express their agency without systematic barriers.  

In collaboration with TCCC (Tribal Community Coordinating Center) and the LGBTQ Center OC, CYAN (California Youth Advocacy Network) has developed a webinar series to discuss foundational concepts of youth engagement, restorative and social justice practices, as well as youth-centered spaces – which can all help to nurture authentic youth-adult partnerships. Come and join an informative series and be a part of the movement to expand youth voice and action. 

View Recorded Webinar

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Oct
31
10:00 AM10:00

Youth Identity and Advocacy (October 2023)

This webinar is the first in a series on the foundational concepts of youth engagement.

Webinar Overview

Youth advocates occupy the many intersections of our communities. To understand the way youth have historically been oppressed is to understand our own history of oppression. This session will discuss the importance of identity and the role it plays in advocacy. By the end, participants will understand why youth are critical partners in the process to create positive community change. 

Webinar Series Details

Youth have the ability and right to be a part of the decisions that impact their life, yet young people are not always welcome within decision-making spaces or processes. As adult coordinators, allies, and partners, it is crucial to create and advocate for environments where youth can express their agency without systematic barriers.  

In collaboration with TCCC (Tribal Community Coordinating Center) and the LGBTQ Center OC, CYAN (California Youth Advocacy Network) has developed a webinar series to discuss foundational concepts of youth engagement, restorative and social justice practices, as well as youth-centered spaces – which can all help to nurture authentic youth-adult partnerships. Come and join an informative series and be a part of the movement to expand youth voice and action. 

View Recorded Webinar

View Event →
Oct
23
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Sep
25
1:00 PM13:00

Youth Strategy Exchange

The Youth Strategy Exchange Calls (Youth SEC) are a great way for Youth Coordinators and other partners who engage young people in commercial tobacco prevention and advocacy initiatives to network with the youth-focused community. Each Strategy Exchange will involve a living agenda to keep discussions relevant to buzzworthy news from our communities and new or ongoing challenges. More than anything, attending Youth SEC provides an opportunity to build connections and support among other statewide partners who share a passion for building more opportunities for youth. 

Registration

View Event →
Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference
Jul
17
to Jul 20

Statewide Youth Advocacy Conference

CYAN’s annual statewide conference is designed for youth who are working on making their communities smoke and commercial tobacco-free, and offers them the opportunity to learn more about advocacy and practice their skills.  The summer conference strives to strengthen youth engagement in local policy, systems, and environmental change efforts by providing young people with training on a variety of skills and topics related to coalition development, data collection, public speaking, community engagement, and working with decision makers. 

View Event →