Los Jovenes is a culturally responsive, bilingual, prevention education project that helps to combat the ravaging epidemic of opioid misuse, funded by the AmeriSource Bergen Foundation. The project focuses on building resiliency skills and increasing knowledge through the exploration and development of protective factors to reduce risk factors associated with substance misuse. The project serves Latino youth, between the ages of 12-20, in three border school districts: Tucson Unified School District, Sunnyside Unified School District, and the Chicanos Por la Causa District. Goals of the project include the increase, strengthening, and enhancing of community collaboration among schools and community partners, while increasing youth and parental awareness through education on the devastating risks and public health problems caused by opioid abuse. Currently, Los Jovenes is at Envision High School in the Chicanos Por La Causa District, and Apollo Middle School and Challenger Middle School in the Sunnyside Unified School District. Additional schools will be included in the spring semester. Los Jovenes is currently in its first six months of implementation and has reached a total of 66 students.
Latinos, Racial Equity, Social Justice, Cultural Preservation, Health Equity, Intergenerational Education, Narrative Change, Substance Abuse Prevention