Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christen Clark. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Christen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
In life there are moments that unintentionally define our existence in this space we call Earth. The defining moment that change the trajectory of my life was my older brother suffering from Heart disease. It was in the 8th grade where I witness him have a panic attack. I watched the light flash before his eyes has his body hit the ground. It was in that moment of feeling helpless in which I realized I never wanted to feel that way anymore. It was in that moment that I determined to pursue my journey in medicine.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Christen Clark and I am the founder of Healthy Heart Hope Inc. My Healthy Heart journey started as a young girl in junior high school who watched my older brother suffer from cardiomyopathy. Once he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, it immediately propelled my interest in medicine. Between frequent visits to the hospital and anxiety and panic overwhelming our lives, I saw and understood firsthand how heart disease affected my family. At the time, we were uninformed, traveling a journey unknown. Fast forward ahead, my older brother was forced to receive a heart transplant. After one day of being on the donor’s list, he received a call that changed my family’s life forever.
My family knew almost nothing about heart disease—and that is what compelled me to create a non-profit for the community that educates and informs under-represented individuals on preventive measures to reduce heart disease. Along with educating and informing Healthy Heart Hope provides/direct individuals towards necessary resources to obtain heart wellness. Our overall mission and goal for Healthy Heart Hope Inc is to combat heart disease in under-represented neighborhoods by providing the necessary testing and healthy education to live a sustainable and heart healthy life.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
I think the most important piece of knowledge in the non-profit field is that things take time. Clients, donations, events, following, all of these things come with time , effort and consistency. I remember when I first started this non-profit I had a few friends who were a great support system in helping me. However, since then Healthy Heart Hope Inc. has grown tremendously from a networking and community point of view. I remember wanting things to take off as soon as I finalized my business licenses. Yet, with patience and practice has allowed my business to flourish and grow.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In the beginning Healthy Heart Hope wasn’t considered a 501 C3 Corporation. However, along the journey of practically learning as I go , I pushed and pushed to learn more and more about the process. I actually had to dissolve my business at first because of the improper filing with the state. This was a huge set back as I waited and waited for the state to make corrections back and forth for months with my certification. However, I knew this was what I wanted and that nothing was going to stop me. So, what I did was dissolve the business , refiled and pushed to make Healthy Heart Hope an official non-profit. It took about 1-2 years for me as the CEO to find my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Healthyhearthope.com
- Instagram: @Healthyhearthope
- Other: Clothing : https://blackheartsmatters.com/