Where Did Red Ribbon Week Come From?
In 1985, Special Agent Enrique S. "Kiki" Camarena of the Drug Enforcement Administration was kidnapped in Guadalajara, Mexico, and killed by drug traffickers. Shortly after Camarena's death, citizens from his hometown of Calexico, Calif., began to wear red ribbons to remember him and to commemorate his sacrifice. The anti-drug message spread quickly and in 1988 the National Family Partnership took the Red Ribbon Celebration nationwide. The Red Ribbon itself now symbolizes a continuing commitment to reducing the demand for illicit drugs within our communities. |
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