SCIENTOLOGY
CANBERRA CELEBRITY ARCHIVE
Meet
a Scientologist: Fashion Designer Fights Drug Abuse in Florida and
Mexico
Women don't have to be
human skeletons to make it to the runway.
Henderson, NV (Vocus)
October 7, 2010
In a video featured on
the new Scientology Video Channel at Scientology.org, Julietta Gil
talks about how Scientology drives her desire to help fight drug
addiction through education.
While glossy fashion ads in the media have been criticized for
glorifying drug addiction by showcasing emaciated, hollow-eyed models,
a new breed of fashion designer is part of a trend that is bringing
drug-free living back in style.
Fashion designer Julietta Gil, 26, is so committed to the cause that
she has become the Director of the Florida chapter of the Foundation
for a Drug-Free World.
This chapter is running a drug education campaign in the Tampa area
with 5,422 The Truth About Drugs booklets that were handed out by
volunteers in a single weekend just before the start of school.
As Julietta says in her âMeet a Scientologistâ
video, her inspiration to start this campaign came from the religion
she was brought up in, Scientology.
âI like my community work a lot," Gil says. "I was always
interested in helping people, but I did not find how to do that in a
way that would really make a change in their lives.â
"Scientology supports many community groups around the world and I
started to help there. Then I got involved in the Foundation for a
Drug-Free World.â€Â
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the state
of Florida is a primary area for international drug trafficking and
money laundering organizations, as well as a principal thoroughfare for
cocaine and heroin transiting to the northeastern United States and
Canada.
Gil recognized the dangers of drugsâthrough her experiences
in the fashion worldâand decided to take action to reach
young people before they start using gateway drugs.
âDrugs are a problem. Itâs an epidemic in
society that reaches more and more youth," Gil says. "I think it can be
changed. Itâs simply a matter of educating them to know
what drugs are and that they donât have to get into
drugs.â
As well as her work in Tampa, Julietta also worked with the Foundation
in drug-ravaged Mexico to get The Truth About
Drugs out to the youth in need.
âIn one area I went to with these booklets there was a very
big crystal meth problem," she says. "When I returned there a year
later, the same children who had been scared to come near me or take a
booklet, approached me and told me about drugs. Itâs very
rewarding.â
View Julietta Gilâs âMeet A
Scientologistâ video: Scientology.org
The popular âMeet a Scientologistâ profiles on
the Church of Scientology International video channel at
Scientology.org now total 150 broadcast-quality documentary videos
featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The
personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators,
teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager,
stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors,
musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and
more.
A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in
April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to
launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, which has now been
viewed by millions of visitors.
CONTACT:
Pat Harney
Phone Number: 727-467-6860
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