Rural at Heart Community Connector in Pine Bluff, Arkansas

[00:00:08]Pine Bluff, Arkansas is one of the fastest [music] shrinking cities in America.

[00:00:15]We do have a lot of gaps that we may need in our resources, [music] whether it be with education, educating our children and our families about heart health, blood pressure awareness, food and nutrition, hands-only CPR, even life skills, [music] things as simple as that.

[00:00:32]I think that we have more resources and more programs to connect those gaps, >> [music] >> we'll be able to meet people where they are.

[00:00:43]In rural communities, [music] we just don't have the support that we may need, and I want to be that support. I want to be able to be an advocate and teach other people to advocate for themselves as well as others.

[00:00:54]For many years, I was trying to get away from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, but I never could leave.

[00:00:59]I realized that it's because my passion and my purpose is to be here and to serve my community.

[00:01:08]>> I saw a job posting come up for the American Heart Association. I thought, "Who could do this with the compassion and the passion that's necessary?" I couldn't think of anyone better than Phaedra.

[00:01:22]Jefferson County is a place that is full of people who are resilient, and they face challenges every single day. And so, when I think about those challenges that we have, I think about the benefits that the American Heart Association can provide to our community. We need resources like the American Heart Association to be able to help come in and teach people about healthy eating habits, healthy heart habits, so that they can be their very best in spite of the challenges that we have in our food [music] desert.

[00:01:48]>> Since being with the American Heart Association, my whole career path has pivoted.

[00:01:53]I initially started as a worker with Heart Corps. I was doing things more on an individual basis, you know, person to person, family to family. [music] And now with my position as a community connector, I'm able to reach more of the population as a whole and make more long-lasting [music] changes.

[00:02:10]>> How did Fajr here locally in Pine Bluff and serving Jefferson County has been a big help for me. About 50% of the patrons in the community have been diagnosed with high blood pressure by health care professionals. [music] This is the area we need to be in for Fajr to help connect those pieces. She knows local clinics and local community partners [music] that we can help heart health initiatives around blood pressure, nutrition, and security.

[00:02:35]>> We just received 70 blood pressure [music] cuffs and monitors to hand out to our patients for them to provide tools like this [music] and programs like this for the community. We're so grateful. It's going to help us make our population healthier and prevent long-term complications because of heart disease and hypertension.

[00:02:57]>> None of the things that I've been able to do with Hardcore or as a community connector would be possible at all without [music] the relationships that I've grown and built within the community. Our libraries, they've been a great asset. [music] We have kiosks where patrons can come and check their blood pressure and they can actually check out blood pressure kit just like they would a book.

[00:03:18]We have given sport CPR kits [music] to several cooperatives and programs. They are able to use those kits and [music] provide training to the children and the families that they serve.

[00:03:30]Nutrition security work has been my favorite part. [music] With my position as a community connector, I've been able to get with the city officials, >> [music] >> with the parks and rec department, and actually work on bringing our farmers market back.

[00:03:44]>> Fajr brought light into the community and I think that this opportunity is going to be able to empower her to help just that many more people >> [music] >> better understand their own personal health. And that's the true impact that we want to have in this community.

[00:04:01]>> Seeing her grow at the Root Heart program these past 4 years and learning [music] how we can help with sustainable programs, education, training that Heart Association provides, she's really took that on and made a huge impact in Pine Bluff but also Jefferson [music] County as well.

[00:04:17]>> Right now, I am in nursing school and my plans are to become a nurse practitioner [music] and in doing so, I want to be an advocate for my community.

[00:04:26]>> My experiences doing work with the city of Pine Bluff has taught me to not give up.

[00:04:32]To meet people where they [music] are.

[00:04:34]There's so much potential, so much love.

[00:04:36]It's going to take hard work, dedication, [music] and just stick-to-itiveness and we can do it and I look forward to seeing that change and see us evolve as a city and a community and meet those gaps and meet people where they are.