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Houston Red Ribbon Events History of Red Ribbon Week
Thursday February 7, 1985, at approximately 2 p.m. Enrique (Kiki) Camarena (37), a DEA agent stashed his badge and his service revolver in his desk drawer and headed for a luncheon date with his wife, Mika (34). Kiki had been in Mexico four (4) and one-half (1/2) years on the trail of Mexico’s marijuana and cocaine barons. He was due to be reassigned in three (3) weeks, having come dangerously close to unlocking a multibillion dollar drug pipeline which he suspected extended into the highest reaches of the Mexican army, police, and government. As he stepped through the consulate portal into the sunlight of a warm Guadalajara winter day, he moved to his pickup truck, turned off the truck’s burglar alarm with his key, and unlocked his door. He was interrupted before he could get into the cab and grab his two-way radio, with which he could alert his partners. According to DEA’s reconstruction of events, five (5) men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him into a beige Volkswagen Atlantic, threw a jacket over Kiki’s head, and sped away. This was the last time anyone but his kidnappers would see him alive. Kiki Camarena’s body was found one month later in a shallow grave, 70 miles from Michoacan, Mexico. He had been tortured, beaten, and brutally murdered. Mika would have to tell her three (3) sons, Enrique (11), Daniel (6), and Erick (4) that their daddy would not be coming home again. News of the tragedy hit newspapers, radio stations, and television news broadcast. As a result in 1988, with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons, the first red ribbon campaign, sponsored by the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth (now the National Family Partnership), was celebrated. The red ribbon became their symbol to eliminate the demand for drugs. This 8-day celebration became the annual catalyst to show intolerance for drugs in our schools, work places, and communities. DRUG FREE PLEDGE I pledge to stay in school and learn the things that I need to know. I pledge to make the world a better place for kids like me to grow. I pledge to keep my dreams alive and be all that I can be. I pledge to help others and to keep myself drug free. Links Houston Field Division Annual
On October 18, 2007, the Houston Field Division, along with the Dallas Field Division, the Internal Revenue Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; United States Citizenship and Immigration Service; Houston Crackdown, Office of the Mayor; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas; San Antonio Fighting Back; Partnership for a Drug-Free Texas; AT&T Pioneers; Texas Department of State Health Services; Veteran Affairs Police; Texas National Guard; and Texas Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition-Dallas, sponsored the annual Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Red Ribbon Rally, which was held on the steps of the State Capitol in Austin, Texas. Opening ceremonies were held in Houston, Texas at Northwest Mall with entertainment provided by the High Impact Squad and attended by local dignitaries including First Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of Texas Tim Johnson, DEA Associate Special Agent in Charge Joe Arabit, Mia Gradney, TV News Anchor-CW39, David Zuiles, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Lt. Al Johnson, Harris County Sheriff’s Department. This year 1,200 5th and 6th grade student leaders from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin were transported by Greyhound Bus Lines to Austin, Texas. An election was held on each bus where students were elected as honorary State Representatives, Senators and committee members. These students were tasked with the drafting of a mock bill entitled “How to stop students from using drugs”. |
