Representing California on the National Stage: AATCLC & SOL Project at the 117th NAACP National Convention
Twlia Laster, Project Director for Advancing Momentum, was honored to participate in the 117th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, where she proudly represented The SOL Project and the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC). As a lifetime member of both the Stockton and Sacramento NAACP Branches and a founding member of AATCLC, Ms. Laster attended the convention to engage with leaders from across the country committed to advancing health equity, social justice, and community well-being.
During the 2024 NAACP National Convention, Ms. Laster was invited to participate in the first National Menthol and Flavored Tobacco Strategy Meeting. The meeting brought together national organizations, state leaders, and local jurisdictions to develop a coordinated national strategy to address menthol and flavored commercial tobacco products. As part of the convening, Ms. Laster and Ms. Carol McGruder Co-Founder of AATCLC shared successful community engagement and public health policy strategies implemented in California and highlighted collaborative efforts taking place at the local, state, national, and international levels to address the tobacco industry’s longstanding targeting of Black communities.
The 2024 strategy meeting was made possible through the NAACP’s adoption of a national resolution recognizing the disproportionate health impacts of menthol tobacco use and opposing the tobacco industry’s targeted marketing practices in Black communities co-authored by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (TFK).
This year, Ms. Laster was selected to serve as a delegate representing the Sacramento NAACP Branch, which submitted amendments to the 2026 health resolution, “Partner for the Breath of Freedom Movement,” authored by NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Truth Initiative. While the original resolution focused on flavored tobacco products and tobacco cessation, the Sacramento Branch proposed expanding the language to also address characterizing, synthetic, and sensory commercial tobacco products. The proposed amendments also introduced commercial tobacco “endgame” strategies, an evidence-informed public health approach focused on reducing the availability of harmful commercial tobacco products through education, prevention, retailer accountability, cessation support, and equitable policy implementation.
During the legislative session, Ms. Laster was invited to address more than 1,400 delegates to present the proposed amendments with updated language to better reflect the evolving commercial tobacco landscape which is a better reflection of the work being led by the NAACP, public health organizations, and community partners across the country. This emphasized the importance of ensuring that national policy language remains current as new commercial tobacco and nicotine products continue to emerge.
Following discussion, the National NAACP delegation voted to adopt Resolution No. 16 with all of the Sacramento Branch’s proposed amendments.
The adoption of these amendments reflects the NAACP’s continued commitment to advancing health equity and supporting evidence-informed public health approaches that protect communities disproportionately impacted by commercial tobacco industry marketing. It also demonstrates how local leadership can help shape national conversations and strengthen public health initiatives that benefit communities across the country.
Looking Ahead
Are you interested in learning how advocates can help organizations become more engaged in tobacco public health policy initiatives? Learn how community organizations can support healthier communities by encouraging the adoption of similar educational resolutions at the local, state, and national levels. We can provide technical assistance!
Watch for an announcement this fall about an upcoming training opportunity hosted by AATCLC and SOL Project’s Advancing Momentum Project. E-mail us for more info at info@thesolproject.com
