Meet the Real You
Meet the Real You
Youth Substance-Use Prevention Campaign · Bilingual (English / Spanish) Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
My Role
LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Background
Riverside County was in a fentanyl crisis. Youth overdose deaths were rising.
And the prevention campaigns meant to help weren't landing, not because young people didn't care, but because the messaging didn't feel like it was made for them.
I was brought in to find out why, and to design something that would actually work.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
The Challenge
Riverside County's youth substance misuse rates were climbing despite existing prevention efforts. Nearly 1 in 8 teenagers reported illicit substance misuse, and overdose deaths among 15 to 24 year olds, particularly from fentanyl, remained alarmingly high. Underserved and lower-income Latino communities were disproportionately impacted.
The mandate was clear: understand why current messaging was failing, and redesign it to resonate. The constraints were real: public-sector budget, compressed timelines, and the need to serve a predominantly bilingual, bicultural community. Not just translate materials, but design for cultural context from the ground up.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
From Insight to Concept
The research pointed to one clear direction: stop leading with what drugs will do to you, and start leading with who you are.
I developed the Meet the Real You concept, a campaign framing that repositioned prevention as a way to protect your evolving identity during a critical developmental window. Rather than fear or restriction, the message centered agency, authenticity, and self-expression.
The brain-development angle, that the brain continues developing until around age 25, became an empowerment frame rather than a warning. It opened the door for honest conversations between youth, parents, and trusted adults without triggering defensiveness.
This wasn't a creative hunch. It was a direct translation of what the research surfaced.
Meet the Real You
Meet the Real You
Youth Substance-Use Prevention Campaign · Bilingual (English / Spanish) Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
My Role
LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Background
Riverside County was in a fentanyl crisis. Youth overdose deaths were rising.
And the prevention campaigns meant to help weren't landing, not because young people didn't care, but because the messaging didn't feel like it was made for them.
I was brought in to find out why, and to design something that would actually work.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
The Challenge
Riverside County's youth substance misuse rates were climbing despite existing prevention efforts. Nearly 1 in 8 teenagers reported illicit substance misuse, and overdose deaths among 15 to 24 year olds, particularly from fentanyl, remained alarmingly high. Underserved and lower-income Latino communities were disproportionately impacted.
The mandate was clear: understand why current messaging was failing, and redesign it to resonate. The constraints were real: public-sector budget, compressed timelines, and the need to serve a predominantly bilingual, bicultural community. Not just translate materials, but design for cultural context from the ground up.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
From Insight to Concept
The research pointed to one clear direction: stop leading with what drugs will do to you, and start leading with who you are.
I developed the Meet the Real You concept, a campaign framing that repositioned prevention as a way to protect your evolving identity during a critical developmental window. Rather than fear or restriction, the message centered agency, authenticity, and self-expression.
The brain-development angle, that the brain continues developing until around age 25, became an empowerment frame rather than a warning. It opened the door for honest conversations between youth, parents, and trusted adults without triggering defensiveness.
This wasn't a creative hunch. It was a direct translation of what the research surfaced.
Meet the Real You
Meet the Real You
Youth Substance-Use Prevention Campaign · Bilingual (English / Spanish) Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
My Role
LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Background
Riverside County was in a fentanyl crisis. Youth overdose deaths were rising.
And the prevention campaigns meant to help weren't landing, not because young people didn't care, but because the messaging didn't feel like it was made for them.
I was brought in to find out why, and to design something that would actually work.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
The Challenge
Riverside County's youth substance misuse rates were climbing despite existing prevention efforts. Nearly 1 in 8 teenagers reported illicit substance misuse, and overdose deaths among 15 to 24 year olds, particularly from fentanyl, remained alarmingly high. Underserved and lower-income Latino communities were disproportionately impacted.
The mandate was clear: understand why current messaging was failing, and redesign it to resonate. The constraints were real: public-sector budget, compressed timelines, and the need to serve a predominantly bilingual, bicultural community. Not just translate materials, but design for cultural context from the ground up.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
From Insight to Concept
The research pointed to one clear direction: stop leading with what drugs will do to you, and start leading with who you are.
I developed the Meet the Real You concept, a campaign framing that repositioned prevention as a way to protect your evolving identity during a critical developmental window. Rather than fear or restriction, the message centered agency, authenticity, and self-expression.
The brain-development angle, that the brain continues developing until around age 25, became an empowerment frame rather than a warning. It opened the door for honest conversations between youth, parents, and trusted adults without triggering defensiveness.
This wasn't a creative hunch. It was a direct translation of what the research surfaced.
Meet the Real You
Meet the Real You
Youth Substance-Use Prevention Campaign · Bilingual (English / Spanish) Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
My Role
LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
· LMS Training Coordinator
· Data Analyst
· Committee Member
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Organization
San Diego County,
Public Health Services
Scope
·5 trainings
· 8 PHS branches
· 812 total staff
Focus
· Racial equity
· Workforce development
· Community health
Background
Riverside County was in a fentanyl crisis. Youth overdose deaths were rising.
And the prevention campaigns meant to help weren't landing, not because young people didn't care, but because the messaging didn't feel like it was made for them.
I was brought in to find out why, and to design something that would actually work.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
The Challenge
Riverside County's youth substance misuse rates were climbing despite existing prevention efforts. Nearly 1 in 8 teenagers reported illicit substance misuse, and overdose deaths among 15 to 24 year olds, particularly from fentanyl, remained alarmingly high. Underserved and lower-income Latino communities were disproportionately impacted.
The mandate was clear: understand why current messaging was failing, and redesign it to resonate. The constraints were real: public-sector budget, compressed timelines, and the need to serve a predominantly bilingual, bicultural community. Not just translate materials, but design for cultural context from the ground up.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
My Approach
I led a qualitative research effort across multiple community touchpoints, including semi-structured interviews and focus groups with adolescents (13–17) and young adults (18–24), alongside stakeholder interviews with parents, youth-serving adults, and public health staff. Research was conducted in both English and Spanish.
The goal wasn't just to audit existing materials. It was to understand the emotional and cultural logic young people were using when they dismissed prevention content, and what would have to be true for them to actually engage.
What I Found
1. Youth don't reject risk — they reject inauthenticity. Low engagement wasn't apathy. It was a response to messaging that felt generic, institutional, and disconnected from real life. Fear-based narratives were actively dismissed. Young people were paying attention, just not to content that didn't feel honest.
2. Identity is more motivating than fear. Framing substance use as something that could dilute passions, relationships, and future potential resonated far more than consequence-focused messaging. Young people responded to their sense of self being at stake, not punishment or moral judgment.
3. Cultural context and language shape trust. Literal translations and culturally generic content reduced perceived relevance, especially within Latino communities. Trust was built through relational, culturally grounded communication, not just Spanish words on an English layout.
From Insight to Concept
The research pointed to one clear direction: stop leading with what drugs will do to you, and start leading with who you are.
I developed the Meet the Real You concept, a campaign framing that repositioned prevention as a way to protect your evolving identity during a critical developmental window. Rather than fear or restriction, the message centered agency, authenticity, and self-expression.
The brain-development angle, that the brain continues developing until around age 25, became an empowerment frame rather than a warning. It opened the door for honest conversations between youth, parents, and trusted adults without triggering defensiveness.
This wasn't a creative hunch. It was a direct translation of what the research surfaced.