Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders network to Reach Equity in Tobacco Control and Cancer (ASPIRE) Network - Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL), a national non-profit health justice organization serving Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, will be the lead organization and fiscal sponsor for this proposed ASian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders network to Reach Equity in tobacco control and cancer (ASPIRE) Network Project. APPEAL proposes to develop and implement this population-specific, and culturally-tailored national tobacco and cancer control ASPIRE Network Project by expanding the current CDC-funded AANHPI national tobacco and cancer control network called the APPEAL RAISE Network. The RAISE Network, which currently consists of over 1000 organizational and individual members across 50 U.S. states and the six U.S.-associated Pacific Island territories/jurisdictions, includes community based organizations, faith-based groups, clinics, coalitions, state and local health departments, hospitals, federal agencies, foundations, media, policymakers and academic institutions in both urban and rural areas. For 24 years, APPEAL has developed active, broad-based, collaborative networks with great reach and depth by demonstrating strong infrastructure, vast community experience and effective tobacco and cancer control expertise. APPEAL is the only national AANHPI organization with tobacco and cancer control as its core programmatic work. For more information, visit APPEAL's website at www.appealforhealth.org. As with the general U.S. population, tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death for AAs and NHPIs. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and also for AANHPIs. The overall goal and purpose of the ASPIRE Network Project is to reduce death and disability of AANHPIs due to commercial tobacco use, hepatitis B, cervical cancer and other cancers by disseminating and implementing population-specific, evidence-based and practice-based public health strategies and interventions. The ASPIRE Network proposes to achieve its goals by 1) expanding the Network membership and amplifying interaction between Network members, 2) increasing capacity of Network members through tailored technical assistance and training, 3) increasing delivery of evidence-based interventions to reach and impact AANPI communities using policy, systems and environmental (PSE) strategies, APPEAL models and multi-prong communications strategy. With its vast experience in developing population-specific, public health strategies for AANHPI communities and its established relationships and strong reputation with Networks members and its new partnerships with national organizations and other tobacco and cancer prevention partners, the ASPIRE Network Project has the potential of contributing greatly to the shared vision and goal of reduced death and disability of AAs and NHPIs due to commercial tobacco use, hepatitis B, cervical cancer and other cancers.
