Working at ROOTS as a Future Cardiologist
As a rising senior in college whose future goal is to become a cardiologist, when asked about the association between my work at Roots and my future career, my answer had always been simple. “There is a great correlation between a healthy diet and a healthy heart and body”, I’d say. Although this is true, I soon realized the bigger impact this work has on the foundation to my great future. As I continued my internship and became more knowledgeable about the fight for food security and easy distribution of fresh and local produce, I came to better understand the effectiveness of fresh food on the health of my community as its essence in the construction of a strong and connected society.
As a future cardiologist whose goal is to combat cardiovascular diseases, it is crucial to know the ins and outs of the diet of my patients. For instance, questions such as “how do they access their food?”, “where do they access their food?”, and “where does their food come from?” are very important when analyzing and educating my patients on how heavily impacted the food they consume has on their cardiovascular health. As scientifically proven, issues such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol can be prevented if people have a balanced and healthier diet. Subsequently, since my work at Roots empowers easy access to local and fresh food through mobile farmers’ markets, this paves a smoother path for residents to access their fresh produce. In addition, interactions with residents give a more in depth perspective on the status of the battle against food insecurity. This information is vital as it can determine if more work needs to be inputted to end the battle of food insecurity.
Moreover, the distribution of fresh produce is just as important as having the ability to grow and care for one’s produce or garden. Other programs that New Britain Roots offer include summer educational camps and garden works. Participating in the educational camps allows me to educate others, especially the younger kids on the importance of planting as well as tips on how to care for one’s plant or garden. The practice of gardening at a young age allows the younger students to learn about the natural process of food and gain patience and awareness on the importance of their environment. This also broadened my knowledge on gardening. Meanwhile the garden work gave a hands-on experience at the local school gardens and greenhouses. Another thing is that with the knowledge of planting and gardening, there became a connection between myself and my community. There was a shared sympathetic atmosphere that surrounded us especially when gardening was not as successful. For example, summer of 2023 was not very successful for the growth of tomatoes and collard greens. This created some conversations and shared tips with the residents building an interdependence relationship between myself, Roots and the community.
Overall, I believe that my work here at Roots has successfully layered the base to my future career and the skills gained is and will be essential for my career. Now, when asked the correlation between my work at Roots and my career, there is a broadened answer that focuses a lot on community health and community build-up.
By Stella Ofei, Summer Programs Assistant 2023