On February 7, 1985, undercover Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena
was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by members of a drug gang in Mexico.
It took a search by 500 special U.S. agents to find his battered body in
a shallow grave on a ranch in Mexico. He was buried with honors in his hometown
of Calexico, California.
Enrique's congressman, Representative Duncan Hunter, moved by the agent's
death, met with Mr. Henry Lozano, Director of Teen Challenge, and Mr. David
Dhillon, a Calexico High School teacher to call for the creation of Camarena
Clubs to promote the awareness of the dangers of drug abuse in his 45th Congressional
District. This endeavor was supported and assisted by the Camarena family.
In honor of Kiki, the first Camarena Club was formed in April of 1985 at
Calexico High School where Kiki Camarena and Henry Lozano graduated in
1966.
The Original Red Ribbon Pledge
On April 20, 1985, 100 students signed the following pledge that was written
by Congressman Hunter's wife, Lynne...
"We, the undersigned students of Calexico High School
pledge; in the honor of Enrique Camarena, and all others risking their lives,
to stop the flow of drugs, to say no to drugs, to encourage my friends to
say no to drugs, to provide support to others who use drugs to help them
learn to say no to drugs, to become educated on the dangers of drugs, and
provide this information to my community."
On April 26, Mrs. Hunter, Mr. Lozano, Mr. Dhillon, and Calexico High School
students presented the signed Camarena Club Pledge to First Lady Nancy Reagan
at the National Parent's Resource Institute for Drug Education Conference
in Washington, DC.
On June 16, inspired by Kiki's sacrifice, the Virginia Federation of Parents
and the Illinois Drug Education Alliance called on all Americans to wear
red ribbons to symbolize their commitment to fight drug abuse.
The First Red Ribbon Week In California
The first local Red Ribbon Days event, sponsored by the Norwalk/La Mirada
Grassroots Alcohol and Drug Education Project (GRADE) and the Norwalk Citizens
Against Illicit Drugs, was held on October 28 -- November 4, 1985 in the cities
of Norwalk and La Mirada, California. In October of 1986, Californians for
Drug-Free Youth, Inc. sponsored the first statewide celebration of Red Ribbon
Week.
Kiki's Memory Unites The Nation To Fight Substance Abuse
In 1988, under the leadership of the National Family Partnership, with Nancy
Reagan as Honorary Chairperson, Congress proclaimed the first 8-day Red Ribbon
Week. Since then, the Red Ribbon movement to remember and honor Kiki's death
and raise drug awareness is celebrated by millions of students and teachers,
along with community organizations, service clubs, businesses, faith communities,
and law enforcement agencies. Today, Red Ribbon Week is held in thousands
of schools and communities all across America.
To learn more about the inspiring history of Red Ribbon Week, read our interview
with David Dhillon, the teacher who started the first Camarena Club in Calexico.
