The National Family Partnership (NFP) organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. NFP provides drug awareness 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.
Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. "I'm only one person", he told her, "but I want to make a difference."
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 took Camarena as their model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the red ribbon.
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.
Parents - Pledge To Help Kids Grow Up Safe, Healthy & Drug-Free By:
- Talking to your kids about the dangers of drug use and abuse and setting clear rules about not using drugs.
- Work together with the parents of your children's friends to set common boundaries and monitor behavior so that your rules are respected and reinforced.
- Set a good example for your children by not using illegal drugs or medicine without a prescription.
- Visit www.redribbon.org to learn more and spread the message to family and friends.
Youth - Pledge to Grow Up Safe, Health & Drug-Free By:
- Understanding the dangers of drug use and abuse.
- Respecting yourself and being drug-free.
- Spreading the word to family and friends about the importance of being healthy and drug-free.
Take the pledge at www.redribbon.org.