Drug-Free Tennessee to Hold Special Event for Awareness During Red Ribbon Week 2022

 Drug-Free Tennessee, the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, is promoting drug awareness and education for Red Ribbon Week.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee in partnership with the Church of Scientology Nashville is holding a drug prevention and educational event during Red Ribbon Week, a national initiative to promote drug prevention and awareness.

 

Tennessee consistently ranks in the top five US states in terms of substance abuse rates, according to a report from lakeviewhealth.com. The website further describes that despite the rise in opioid addictions, alcohol abuse statistics have remained stable, so alcohol is still the most commonly abused substance in Tennessee. In fact, more than 60 percent of patients who enter state drug treatment programs seek treatment for alcohol addiction and about 1 in 20 Tennessee residents abused or were dependent on alcohol in 2016.

 

To protect youth from the disastrous effects of abusing drugs and alcohol, Drug-Free Tennessee teams up with community partners to bring the truth about drugs to young people during Red Ribbon Week.

 

“We have an immediate task ahead of us: get the drug overdoses going downward,” says Julie Brinker, an ambassador for the organization, “Nashville has seen an increase every year in overdoses since 2018 and it’s time to get this turned around.”  

 

Red Ribbon Week is a week-long celebration at the end of October to promote a drug-free lifestyle. The Red Ribbon has been worn as a symbol since 1985 when DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was murdered. Angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons to show their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America.

 

Volunteers will join with Drug-Free Tennessee for educational events and to distribute copies of The Truth About Drugs, a booklet that helps young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user. It’s happening during the weekend of October 28-30. For more information, email info@drugfreetn.org.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee is the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered. For more information on the Truth About Drugs, visit drugfreeworld.org or drugfreetn.org.

 

Nashville Religion Communicators to Showcase the Art of Strategic Design

 The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications. 

 

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing, and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The November 2022 meeting will be virtual with guest speakers on the topic of “Behind the Design ~ Strategic Questions to Elevate Your Creative Projects.” According to RCC Nashville, “Creative projects begin with exploration. Understanding what a project needs to accomplish helps a designer develop the most successful and innovative ones. Learn more about what to do before you begin designing your next display, ad, landing page, or campaign.”

 

“Artistic design helps forward a basic communication, turning it into something much deeper and impactful,” says Julie Brinker, communications coordinator for the Nashville RCC and Director of Community Affairs for the Nashville Church of Scientology, “we look forward to a wonderful meeting.”  

 

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus, and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising, and development.

 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter. 

Nashville Religion Communicators Learn from Video Production Professional

 The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications. 

 

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing, and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The October 2022 virtual meeting saw guest speaker A.J. Thurman with the United Methodist Communications production team share tips and tricks for video perfection. Thurman walked the group through the equipment he uses, his tips for shooting video on the fly or at home, lighting, sound quality and more.

 

“We’re in the visual age,” says Julie Brinker, communications coordinator for the Nashville RCC and Director of Community Affairs for the Nashville Church of Scientology, “If your video quality is lacking, there is instant judgement, so it really has to be the best.”

 

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus, and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising, and development.

 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter. 

Divinity over Division: How the Religion Communicators Council is Bringing People Together

 

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of professionals who communicate about or on behalf of religious groups.

 

 

Religion communicators come from all walks of life, and pop up everywhere on the political spectrum, but according to RCC members who participated in a webinar this week, politics seek to divide and religion should bring people together.

 

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing, and public relations. During a recent webinar co-hosted by the RCC and Communicators for Women Religious (CWR), the topic was Divinity over Division: Communicating Spirituality in a Climate of Polarity.

 

The panel focused in on how communicators can bring people together over the issues that matter while both staying above the noise and how to make a difference in today’s world.

 

Panel members were Ibrahim Anli, Executive Director, Rumi Forum Center for Faith, Identity & Globalization; Joanne Gallagher, CSJ, Director of Communications, Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston; Barbara Hecht, Director of Communications, Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden; Joyce Litoff, Associate Director of Communications, Baha’i National Center; and Brad Pomerance, Senior Vice President, Programming & Host, Jewish Life Television. It was moderated by Rev. Brian Fesler, President of the Religion Communicators Council and pastor of the Church of Scientology Nashville and Ginny Hizer, Executive Director of the Communicators for Women Religious. The webinar was recorded and is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiQjcejoGd0.

 

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus, and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising, and development.

 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org or to become a member visit https://religioncommunicators.org/become-a-member/.  

Human Rights Day Committee Calls for Nominations for 2022 Awards

 

The Tennessee Celebration of International Human Rights Day will take place in person on December 8^th. The planning committee for the event is now accepting nominations for the prestigious human rights awards.

 

Tennesseans will gather on December 8^th to celebrate International Human Rights Day. During the event, leaders are acknowledged, and awards will go to human rights champions in three categories: Rising Advocate, Outstanding Service and Lifetime Achievement.

 

The planning committee for the event has just announced on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tennesseehumanrights that nominations are now open and may be submitted at www.tnuhr.org/nominations.

 

Past award recipients have included Rev. Bill Barnes, John Seigenthaler, Rosetta Miller Perry, Avi Poster, Remziya Suleyman, Justin Jones and others. The complete list of honorees can be found at www.nashvillehumanrights.org/past-award-recipients/

 

A committee of human rights organizations, nonprofits, and advocates, including the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, Metro Human Relations Commission, United Nations Association, Scarritt Bennett Center, Tennessee United for Human Rights, the Church of Scientology, and others, work together each year to plan the event.

 

“Human Rights Day gives the community a chance to acknowledge advocates and leaders while also learning more about what human rights really mean for all people,” says planning committee chair Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology in Nashville.

 

The event will also have speakers, entertainment and various exhibits from human rights organizations. All information regarding the event can be found on the website www.tnuhr.org.