Just one year after its creation, the Multicultural Consortium for Responsible Drinking (MCRD) reached more than one million six hundred thousand people in the United States, through a public outreach program to reduce the impact of harmful use of alcohol in Latino communities,  African Americans and Native Americans.

The MCRD, a working group comprised of influential organisations – including police, religious and media – from different communities of colour supported by Diageo North America, had an extraordinary reach through events and information campaigns that focused on raising awareness of the risks of harmful use of alcohol.

According to some research, there are socioeconomic factors, cultural differences, and alcohol use disorders that show why alcohol use affects ethnic communities differently. For this reason, and with a commitment to promoting a culture of moderation, Diageo North America has explored new approaches to support diverse demographics in the United States with educational tools and resources – such as the creation of the MCRD.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr., President and CEO of the National Association of Newspaper Publishers, said, “On behalf of the National Association of Newspaper Publishers, we are very pleased with the progress we have made with the MCRD. Over the past year, we’ve received positive feedback from the community we represent across the country and are identifying more possibilities. People are ready to be educated about responsible consumption.”

Sylvia T. Miranda, executive director of the National Association of Latino Officers, said, “The MCRD has developed a work plan that really targets ethnic groups and has managed to convey that message of responsible drinking and what it looks like.”

Raising awareness in communities of color

By combining the expertise of member organisations and a range of information resources, it enables the MCRD to educate people about alcohol use and the impact of driving under the influence, including aspects related to myths and misconceptions about these communities. Educational tools and resources include:

• Wrong Side of the Road, an interactive learning experience that helps educate and stigmatize drunk driving.

• DRINKiQ.com, a resource that provides information about the effects of alcohol, empowering people to make informed decisions. This tool is available in Spanish in DRINKiQ.com/espanol.

The nonprofit Responsibility.org recently joined the MCRD to expand the reach of programs across the country and further the mission of educating communities of color about the risks of harmful use of alcohol.