Kiki and the History of Red Ribbon

February 2nd, 2023 – Miami, FL– Enrique (Kiki) S. Camarena was born on July 26, 1947, in Mexicali, Mexico. He graduated from Calexico High School in Calexico, California in 1966, and in 1968 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. After serving in the Marine Corps for two years, Kiki was a Calexico fireman, Calexico police officer, and an Imperial County Deputy Sheriff. Kiki joined the Drug Enforcement Administration in June of 1974. His first assignment as a Special Agent with DEA was in a familiar place - Calexico, California.

In 1977, after three years in Calexico, 37-year-old Kiki was reassigned to the Fresno District Office in Northern California. Four years later, Kiki received transfer orders to Mexico, where he would work out of the Guadalajara Resident Office. For more than four years in Mexico, Kiki remained on the trail of the country's biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. In early 1985, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion-dollar drug pipeline. However, before he was able to expose the drug trafficking operations to the public, he was kidnapped on February 7, 1985. On that fateful day, while headed to a luncheon with his wife, Mika, Kiki was surrounded by five armed men who threw him into a car and sped away. That was the last time anyone, but his kidnappers would see him alive. 

In honor of Camarena’s memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction of alcohol and other drugs, had begun forming coalitions. Some of these new coalitions embraced Camarena’s belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena’s memory, the red ribbon. During his 11 years with DEA, Kiki received two Sustained Superior Performance Awards, a Special Achievement Award and, posthumously, the Administrator’s Award of Honor, the highest award granted by DEA. 

In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families. The National Family Partnership (NFP) and its network of individuals and organizations continue to deliver his message of hope to millions of people every year, through the National Red Ribbon Campaign™. Today, NFP hosts the annual Enrique Camarena Award, an award given to an individual who believes and understands the power of the individual voice to reach and influence the larger community for drug prevention. 

(Picture: Katie Nuñez Vasquez)

Katie Nuñez Vasquez is the 2023 Enrique Camarena Award Recipient. Katie is a student activist and community leader in Santa Barbara, California. Katie has led incredible work in the field and drug prevention system. As a young leader, Katie focuses on using her voice in policy change and educating her peers. Katie played a pivotal role in passing the Off-State Alcohol Ordinance, a policy that reduces underage alcohol access for minors, minimizes alcohol advertising to youth, holds liquor stores accountable, and eliminates alcohol mini bottles. Katie made sure to use her voice to speak with the Santa Barbara Officials about the importance of mitigating the normalization of alcohol in Santa Barbra and shared proposals to further prevent underage drinking in the County. Katie takes tangible actions to improve the well-being of her peers and community. Furthermore, Katie has led two (2) national drug-prevention campaigns for three (3) years: National Prevention Week and Red Ribbon Week. For Red Ribbon Week, she facilitated Plant the Promise and over 30+ youth sign pledges. Both activities encouraged her peers to commit to raising awareness, have a drug-free lifestyle, and help others learn about the importance of staying healthy and drug-free.

NFP had the pleasure of interviewing Katie to learn more about her outstanding commitment to her community.

NFP: What made you get into community work and drug-free prevention?

NFP: Do you enjoy working in the community? Do you involve your peers?

K: I have come to find myself dedicating my time to advocate for my community. In the beginning I saw it as an opportunity to improve my college application but as time passed, I have come to grow a passion for it. FLA has truly helped me discover this part of me that I never thought I had. FLA has pushed me out of my comfort zone, encouraged me, and has made me see the impact I can do as a teen in my community. Advocacy work is not a solo project. It requires a team who is just as passionate and willing to do all the small and big things. Becoming a part of the student council it’s my role to push my peers out of their comfort zone to advocate as well.

Congratulations to Ms. Katie Nuñez Vasquez for being the recipient of the 2023 Enrique Camarena Award. It is leaders like yourself that encourage young individuals to live healthy and Drug-Free. Let’s continue to make America Drug-Free!

If you know someone who is an outstanding contributor to the field of drug prevention in your community, you may nominate them by completing the Enrique Camarena award form located inside the Parent/School Planning Guide. You can download it at www.redribbon.org/downloads/. 

Red Ribbon Week takes place each year from October 23rd through 31st.  We invite you to join us by getting involved. Learn more about the contest and the campaign by visiting www.RedRibbon.org.

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About the National Family Partnership

The National Family Partnership was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education, and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. In addition to the Red Ribbon Campaign®, NFP sponsors the Lock Your Meds® Campaign to prevent prescription drug abuse. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week at www.redribbon.org and NFP at www.nfp.org.

Lock Your Meds Initiative is a Universal Prevention Campaign

January 11th, 2023 – Miami, FL– Did you know that 53% of misused medications come from family and friends, not a stranger/drug dealer or the internet? The Lock Your Meds® campaign, created by the National Family Partnership and its affiliate Informed Families/The Florida Family Partnership is a universal prevention campaign intended to save lives by preventing prescription drug misuse, which is the fastest growing substance misuse problem in America. 

Currently, the drug problem has a different identity and must be addressed with new combat tactics. To think that you, as parents and grandparents, could unknowingly be a supplier of prescription medications to your children is disturbing. Through our established, national network of supporters such as Community Impact North Carolina and Publix Pharmacy®, we can begin to educate our nation on the Lock Your Meds® initiative and help parents implement preventative steps to keep children and teens from accessing these medications. However, our work doesn’t stop here.

We want to grow and join forces with you, your community groups and your healthcare organizations that are not yet involved. We want to help arm each of you with the appropriate information and tools to be our Number One line of defense against this growing epidemic. The Lock Your Meds® campaign utilizes a variety of mediums to deliver its message, and all are available to you for use in your organization’s efforts and in your community. These resources can be found at https://lockyourmeds.org/spread-the-word/. 

As parents and guardians, you don’t have to feel helpless in this fight. You must be aware and take the appropriate steps to not share. Everyone can implement these preventative steps to help ensure your children have a drug-free future:

• Take frequent inventory of your medications, keeping track of quantities of both prescribed and over-the-counter medications.
• Lock your meds in a safe location where children cannot access them.
• Talk to your children regularly about the dangers of misusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
• Get involved by joining our campaign.
• Purchase a Vaultz® Lockbox to instill proper storage for your prescription medication at https://www.nfp.org/store. 

Knowledge helps save lives. In these last 25 years, it has taken more than just our core staff at NFP to share that knowledge of drug prevention with our nation. We are very thankful for all the parent groups, Red Ribbon Certified Schools, community groups, healthcare professionals and organizations that joined in our efforts to educate and nurture parents and families.

We are especially grateful to Community Impact NC and Publix Pharmacy® for their generous support of the Lock Your Meds® campaign. We look forward to continuing to support each of you on a national and local level, providing you with resources and a national voice.

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About the National Family Partnership

The National Family Partnership was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education, and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. In addition to the Red Ribbon Campaign®, NFP sponsors the Lock Your Meds® Campaign to prevent prescription drug abuse. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week at www.redribbon.org and NFP at www.nfp.org.

Red Ribbon Week is Recognized in the State of New Hampshire House

October 19th, 2022 – Miami, FL – On behalf of National Family Partnership, we would like to thank Congressman Chris Pappas and New Hampshire First Congressional District Constituents for recognizing Red Ribbon Week. Below you will find an excerpt of Congressman Chris Pappas addressing the House on October 16th, 2022.

Congressman Chris Pappas: Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Red Ribbon Week. In 1988, the National Family Partnership dedicated the week of October 23-31 to raising awareness about the dangers of drug use and the harm that drug trafficking brings to our communities. For the past 34 years the NFP has continued their work, raising awareness for families and schools in neighborhoods across New Hampshire.

For all too many New Hampshire families--including mine--the nation's drug crisis is deeply personal. Many of us have lost neighbors, friends, and loved ones to overdoses and the harmful effects of drug use in recent years. We have learned that the pain of addiction hurts not just one member of our community, but us all. As the representative for New Hampshire's First Congressional District, I remain firmly committed to improving the drug-detection capabilities of our law enforcement officials and will not stop calling for the resources to help those struggling with addiction to lead productive, healthy lifestyles. This is why I was proud to introduce the Dark Web Interdiction Act of 2022 as well as the National ACERT Grant Program Authorization Act. These bills work to strengthen our law enforcement's ability to go after those trafficking drugs on the dark web, as well as providing funding for law enforcement and service agencies to support children who have experienced a traumatic event, like witnessing a drug overdose by a loved one, to support their wellbeing and future success in life.

The mission of Red Ribbon Week to bring these issues into the light and to educate our youth about the dangers of drugs is critical to begin healing our state and our country. I am honored to work with the many New Hampshire partners taking on this challenge, including our healthcare and recovery workers, Drug Free Communities, First Responders, and law enforcement from the local state and federal level including the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. Each partner carries on the mission to stop illicit substances from harming our communities, while never giving up hope for those in recovery.

On behalf of my constituents in New Hampshire's First Congressional District, I want to thank the National Family Partnership and the Drug Enforcement Agency for your work on this issue and hope my fellow Granite Staters will join me in recognizing the 2022 National Red Ribbon Week.

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About the National Family Partnership

The National Family Partnership was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education, and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. In addition to the Red Ribbon Campaign®, NFP sponsors the Lock Your Meds® Campaign to prevent prescription drug abuse. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week at www.redribbon.org and NFP at www.nfp.org.

Red Ribbon Week is Here, How Will You Get Involved?

October 18th, 2022 – Miami, FL –Spooky Season is October 31st, BUT Red Ribbon Week starts October 23rd! So put on your best costume (preferably something in red!) and learn how you can “Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free” Red Ribbon Week.

NFP is laser focused on bringing drug awareness and visibility to communities and youth by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Campaign™. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents, and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America. In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.

Here are ways you can get involved during the 2022 Red Ribbon Week:

• Enter the 12th Annual 2022 Red Ribbon Photo Contest for a chance to win $1000 for K-12 School and an iPad! You can submit your creative photo at redribbon.org/contest.
• Sponsor a Classroom, Grade, or School by purchasing a bundle of this year’s favorite items. You can choose a sponsorship package at nfp.org/store.
• Even though Halloween is coming up! Get dressed in your best costume and put on your creative hats to enter the 2023 Red Ribbon Theme Contest for a chance to win $500 in Red Ribbon Merchandise! Submissions are due by December 4th, 2022, via email at RedRibbon@NFP.org.
• During Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd-31st, communities across the nation are encouraged to Light Up America Red by lighting up classrooms, offices, libraries, and other locations in red using red bulbs, gel filters or red balloons and decorations. Participants can post Go Red for Red Ribbon photos or if they spot one of the landmarks lightning up in red on social media using the hashtags #DEARedRibbon, #LightUpAmericaRed, and #NationalFamilyPartnership.

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About the National Family Partnership

The National Family Partnership was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education, and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. In addition to the Red Ribbon Campaign®, NFP sponsors the Lock Your Meds® Campaign to prevent prescription drug abuse. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week at www.redribbon.org and NFP at www.nfp.org.

RESCHEDULED- The Drug Enforcement Administration will hold its annual National Red Ribbon Rally virtually this year. Our virtual rally will premiere on https://www.dea.gov on October 20, 2022, at 12:00pm PST and be available to share throughout the month of October.

This year’s Red Ribbon Rally features voices from our community and special guests who represent diverse experiences and perspectives on drug prevention and Red Ribbon activism, including youth performances that celebrate living drug-free. The DEA will recognize the 2021 Red Ribbon Photo Contest Winners co-sponsored by National Family Partnership. In addition, we will recognize the elementary, middle, and high school winners of the DEA Red Ribbon Visual Arts Contest, and announce the community groups selected to receive DEA’s 2022 Community Drug Prevention Award.

During Red Ribbon Week, young people in communities and schools across the nation pledge to live drug-free by wearing red ribbons and participating in anti-drug events. Red Ribbon Week is also a time to pay tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, whose tragic murder led to the creation of the Red Ribbon Campaign. He is the man and hero behind the Red Ribbon Campaign. Today, millions of Americans all over the United States continue to wear red ribbons to symbolize their support for a united, drug-free nation.

Tickets are not required. No need to RSVP.
Spread the word. Everyone is invited.
Click the link below to download the invitation:
https://admin.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/2022-Red-Ribbon-Rally-Invite-2.pdf
Any questions regarding the virtual rally please email: community.outreach@usdoj.gov.

For more information and resources for Red Ribbon Week please visit: https://www.dea.gov/redribbon

Red Ribbon Week is just around the corner, October 23^rd-31^st!

NFP is dedicated to supporting your efforts to bring visibility to our Drug Free Message through the Red Ribbon Campaign. Lots of companies sell RED RIBBON WEEK products but how many of those companies give back to the Red Ribbon Campaign and to all our communities? Only ONE NIMCO, Inc.

Through NFP’s annual Red Ribbon Theme Contest held every fall with winners announced at CADCA, we are linking with thousands of schools and children allowing them and you to tell us the RR Theme. Through NFP’s DEA Photo Contest we give away $25,000 to schools across America. It’s not about the ribbon it is about the meaning of the ribbon, we ask you to help network and spread the word in your school, home, business, military base, faith-based fellowship, club, etc. We’re only as strong as our weakest link. "Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free.™" says it all. Join us.

NIMCO, Inc. a registered authorized vendor through GSA for all government agencies and granted programs.

Click the link to view NIMCO, Inc online 2022 Red Ribbon Catalog

If you are interested in actively making a difference to keep America healthy and drug-free. Contact Elizabeth Golshteyn at egolshteyn@informedfamilies.org to become an Affiliate with National Family Partnership. By becoming an Affiliate and paying an annual membership fee, you get a 10% NIMCO discount (one-use per customer) to use the 2022 Red Ribbon Theme products to support drug-free prevention.

Thank you for all your help and support over these 40 years. I am truly grateful.

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration is advising the public of an alarming emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available across the United States.  In August 2022, DEA and our law enforcement partners seized brightly-colored fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 18 states.  Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” in the media, this trend appears to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly fentanyl made to look like candy to children and young people.

“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”

Brightly-colored fentanyl is being seized in multiple forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that resembles sidewalk chalk. Despite claims that certain colors may be more potent than others, there is no indication through DEA’s laboratory testing that this is the case.  Every color, shape, and size of fentanyl should be considered extremely dangerous.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.  Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.  Without laboratory testing, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder. 

Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country.  According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.  Drug poisonings are the leading killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.  Fentanyl available in the United States is primarily supplied by two criminal drug networks, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

In September 2021, DEA launched the One Pill Can Kill Public Awareness Campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of fake pills.  Additional resources for parents and the community can be found on DEA's Fentanyl Awareness page.

If you encounter fentanyl in any form, do not handle it and call 911 immediately.

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Source Link

 

On August 19^th, 2022, over 275 community leaders join Miami Community Newspapers to welcome U.S. Senator Marco Rubio at Evelyn Greer Park. National Family Partnership joined the recent luncheon alongside State Senator Ileana Garcia and Miami-Dade School Board Member, District 9, Luisa Santos. Senator Garcia is committed to develop funding and accessible resources for youth prevention. Recently, Senator Garcia secured $175,000 in state funding that will directly assist its “Foster Care to Independent Living” Program.

Peggy Sapp, President, and CEO of Informed Families and Volunteer President of National Family Partnership took the opportunity to speak in front of Senator Rubio.  “We need to advocate for 50% of all the Opioid Dollars coming down to states and communities to be allotted to prevention programs in schools, families and communities, stated Ms. Sapp. The 2022 Red Ribbon Theme is “Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free”, a nationwide campaign advocating for a drug-free environment and where hundreds of schools and families submit their photo of what it means to live drug-free. NFP’s mission is helping children reach their full potential. 

Thank you to the Miami Community News for hosting the Marco Rubio Luncheon and who continue to encourage future generations in America to live a healthy and drug-free lifestyle.

Have you heard of Kaiserslautern Middle School (KMS)? KMS is a federally operated school managed by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade educational programs on behalf of the United States Department of Defense (DoD). Over the last few years, KMS, which is located in Kaiserslautern, Germany, has planned and participated in various Red Ribbon Week activities.

This year, KMS counselors and PTSA members have joined forces to create a host of fun and educational activities for their students, including a poster art project featuring this year’s Red Ribbon Theme, Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free.™ Samples of their creative artwork are currently on display in the commissary, post office, café, and community bank, all of which are located on the Vogelweh Military Base in Germany.

“Having a serious conversation with this age group can make a difference,” said Susan Sondermann, current KMS PTSA President. “We want our students, teachers and parents talking to each other about the risks and the realities related to drugs and alcohol which is especially important in the military community,” she adds. “Military kids go through so much from family separations due to deployments, to multiple moves. It’s not easy.”

As part of their extended Red Ribbon Week celebrations, local school administrators will be featured on the Armed Forces Network (AFN) Radio to discuss the importance of drug and alcohol prevention this month. The KMS PTSA is also sponsoring a writing competition and hosting a Red Ribbon Spirit Week which will highlight the following: "Don't Get Tied Up in Drugs,” "Team Up Against Drugs and Violence" and "Dreaming of a Drug-Free World."  KMS will also be participating in the National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest, which is open to legal residents of the United States.

“Past research has shown that the hardships military kids face can lead to an increased risk when it comes to drug and alcohol use, said Sondermann.” We are passionate about Red Ribbon Week because of the message it sends.   We want the best for our kids.  We want to see them be happy. We already know they are brave, and above all we want to see them be drug free!”

Teenagers are often faced with many different kinds of temptations as they become young adults. Vaping, smoking and alcohol are just a few common examples of substances that young people are challenged to try. Click on the link below for tips from the Drug Free America Foundation on how teens can protect themselves from making poor life choices when placed in uncomfortable situations.

https://www.dfaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Protective-Factors-for-Youth.pdf