Healthy Archuleta features Community Learning and Leadership Circle member Jennifer Read-Lindberg

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By Rose Chavez | Food System/Food Equity Coalition

The Archuleta County Nutrition Security and Health Equity Assessment, which kicked off this past December 2021, is continuing its ongoing work to engage the community through a Community Learning and Leadership Circle (CLLC) that meets on a weekly basis. 

The CLLC is made up of a group of diverse Archuleta County community members who are committed to contributing to the design of the assessment during this first phase of the project, which will conclude at the end of June. CLLC members engage in learning through module presentations facilitated by Healthy Archuleta and partner organizations about the concepts of nutrition security and health equity. 

On a weekly basis, the CLLC members helped inform the assessment as it relates to 1) primary/preventive health care access and utilization (coverage, timeliness, workforce and services) and 2) bolstering our community-based food system (food production, food transformation, marketing and distribution, getting and preparing food, eating nutritious foods, food safety, food waste prevention and resource recovery). 

A community-based participatory approach is used to capture people’s voices and lived experiences related to access to food and primary/preventive health care in Archuleta County. Additionally, both food and health care organizations will have the opportunity to share information as it relates to primary/preventative health care and food efforts. 

Healthy Archuleta is sharing individual profiles of CLLC community members who are serving their community in this capacity. This last week, we are featuring CLLC member and community leader Jennifer Read-Lindberg:

1. Health is the new wealth. What does that mean for you and your family’s health in Archuleta County? “For me, it means teaching a new generation about the importance and value our health holds. This is a very active community and seizing the opportunity to show my children what it means to be a healthy, active member of this community. It is for me leading by example and having opportunities for them to learn and grow.”

2. What are your ties to Archuleta County? “I am a fourth generation resident of Archuleta County. My mother and my brother still live in this community, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins. My family are my ties and my community an extension of my family.”

3. What do you see as your role on the CLLC for the Nutrition Security and Health Equity Assessment? “I bring a generational perspective and as a lifelong resident, my role is to help make our community stronger and healthier. I would say my role is to observe, contribute a different perspective and help facilitate change. Living and thriving in this community should not be a privilege. Everyone deserves the chance to live their best and healthiest lives here in Pagosa Springs.”

4. What is your vision for a healthy Archuleta? ”My vision is to bring new and exciting projects to all ages in this community that involve education and relationship building. I also want to continue to build a strong community that values all that is great about our town.”

5. What do you think is critical about the dynamics of learning and leading on the CLLC for this assessment? “I believe it is critical to give everyone a voice and an opportunity to express their opinions no matter their status in life. This is a precipice for a shift in thinking and an opportunity to build a better community.”

For more information, please contact us at fsfearchuleta@gmail.org or (401) 371-3227. To donate to support the work of Healthy Archuleta, doing business as the FSFE — Food Coalition, please visit our website: https://www.foodcoalition4archuleta.org/donate.html.