The Girls Empowerment Network of Austin, a local, non-profit organization, wants to foster high self-esteem in school-age girls by encouraging them to make healthy choices and avoid smoking.
The organization's "oriGENal voice" program gathered local middle and high school girls at City Hall Friday to meet with city officials. The program's goal is to keep girls tobacco-free at the age they are most susceptible to becoming smokers.
According to the program's Web site, girls are more likely to become addicted to cigarettes than boys, and 90 percent of adult smokers begin smoking before they turn 18.
"OriGENal voice is a tobacco-free public awareness campaign," said Christine Carlucci, oriGENal voice coordinator. "It reaches middle and high school girls with information on the danger of tobacco use through peer-to-peer communication. It's more effective for girls to learn from each other and encourage each other to help make life decisions."
Estelle Garza, a junior at Westlake High School, attended the City Hall event.
"We listened to many women who have made it in a male-dominated field," she said. "We were encouraged to follow our dreams, regardless of what society says."
Officials in attendance included city Councilwoman Betty Dunkerley, Nikelle Meade, a local attorney, and Sandy Hentges, vice president of public policy for the Austin Chamber of Commerce. The girls were supposed to meet with Mayor Will Wynn, but he could not attend because of an unspecified emergency. His aide, Matt Curtis, took his place.
"It was kind of like a public policy 101 workshop for the girls," Carlucci said. "We want these girls to know how to be effective voices in their communities, even at their young age. We want them to become familiar with their resources now so when they become voting age, they can make wise, healthy decisions."
Garza echoed Carlucci in saying that efforts to prevent smoking are strongly tied to empowerment of women.
"Smoking is a sign of weakness," she said. "In being a strong woman, the last thing you need is something else to rely on."
Carlucci also spoke about the city's proposed smoking ban. She said the ban would prevent smoking in popular hangout spots for young girls, such as bowling alleys.
"It is something we've been talking a lot about lately," she said. "We have the right to breathe healthy air, and smoking is something that doesn't allow us to do that."
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