Our Mission
About Us
The SOL Project advocates for healthy, smoke-free communities for African Americans and other populations who suffer disproportionately as a result of social conditions and tobacco use.
Saving Our Legacy, African Americans for Smoke-Free Safe Places was founded in 2007 by Kimberly Bankston-Lee and Twlia Laster. The project name was derived by community advocates, Julius Bankston, Roxie Mason, Jolean French and Carol McGruder, who shared a collective vision for improving health among African Americans in Sacramento County. The SOL Project currently serves 14 Northern California Gold Country Counties working with key opinion leaders, businesses, community members, educators, lawmakers and non-profits to adopt and implement smoke-free policies that protect people from the hazards of tobacco smoke and electronic smoking device vapor.
Meet The Team
Kimberly Bankston-Lee
[email protected]
888-774-7685, ext. 200
Ms. Bankston-Lee has been working in tobacco control since 1996, planning, developing and implementing tobacco control programs for non-profits, county government and health care services such as the Gold Country Regional Tobacco Control Coalition, the African American Tobacco Education Partnership, Smoking Cessation Counselor for Sutter Medical Centers, and the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.
Twlia Laster
[email protected]
888-774-7685 ext. 100
Ms. Twlia Laster has been working in tobacco control specifically serving African American and African Immigrant populations since 1997. Her experience includes administration, grant coordination, program development, coordination, management, cessation and focus group facilitation on each African American priority population contract for the California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) funded grant programs since 1996.
Pleshette Robertson
888-774-7685, ext. 300
Ms. Robertson is a passionate leader with a vision for African Americans to thrive through improved social determinants of health; which includes security, great mental health and well-being. Ms. Robertson developed her passion for tobacco prevention and public policy initiatives in 2006 when she partnered with The African American Tobacco Education Partnership (AATEP) in developing grassroots community outreach and education media campaigns. After learning about the predatory marketing practices of the Tobacco Industry, she began serving as a volunteer for community outreach initiatives, focus groups, and advisory committee participation. She then became a subcontractor to train and prepare youth advocates in activities such as giving testimony at city council meetings.
Seventeen years later, in her new position as the Community Engagement Coordinator at Saving Our Legacy, African Americans for Smoke Free Safe Places – The SOL Project, she is responsible for organizing collaborative partnerships with community-based organizations, faith-based leadership and residents to further education, advocacy, and policy efforts.
Twlia Laster
[email protected]
888-774-7685 ext. 100
Ms. Twlia Laster has been working in tobacco control specifically serving African American and African Immigrant populations since 1997. Her experience includes administration, grant coordination, program development, coordination, management, cessation and focus group facilitation on each African American priority population contract for the California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) funded grant programs since 1996.
