Why We Advocate For A Community That Celebrates One Another

We believe in the power of a community that celebrates one another, works together and supports each other. When we come from a place of recognition and teamwork, we are more likely to contribute to change and help others reach their goals.
 
As a result, we are also more likely to achieve our own goals because we have a strong network of people behind us cheering us on. But why we advocate for a community that celebrates one another has a deeper reason. We are going to discuss the importance of this and explain our concept of a 'tribe' - reflecting the traditional Bantu definition of Pamodzi.

What Is A Community? We are talking about a group of people with common interests who work together in some way and interact positively. The concept has been around for centuries, and it's one that has taken on different meanings over time.
 
In its most basic form, a community is simply a group of people who live in the same area or share the same interest. But as we've evolved, the idea has become more complex. We now use the term to describe groups of people who come together for a common purpose - whether that's to support each other, work together or simply share their ideas and interests.
 
At Pamodzi Creatives, we refer to ourselves as a Tribe. Roni, our founder, describes it in her own way:
 
"The concept of celebrating each other within our respective 'tribes' or communities originates not so much from an aggressive space of reinforcing one's identity as separate to or superior to the other, but from the traditional Bantu definition.
 
This means creating authentic spaces where people can grow in their identity with the knowledge that who they are and what they bring or do positively enhances their community."

Why Is It Important To Be Part of a Tribe? There are many reasons why we advocate for a community - especially one that celebrates one another. Initially, it can provide a sense of belonging and identity. When you share similar interests with other people, it can be easy to feel like you're a part of something larger than yourself.
 
Being part of a tribe can also give you a sense of purpose. If you're passionate about something, working together with others who feel the same way can be incredibly rewarding. It is also a great way to meet new people and expand your horizons.
 
As well as this, being part of something can provide support - both emotional and practical. Knowing that there are people who care about you and want to help you succeed can be a huge motivator.
 
Advocating for a group that celebrates these successes is just one way we can drive positivity and progress in our respective fields and areas of interest.
 
At Pamodzi Creatives, we work with a number of different tribes - from other non-profit organisations to inspirational women and their own communities throughout Portsmouth. We've seen so many ways in which the people involved celebrate one another and use each other's skills to implement positivity and new ideas.
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What Does Pamodzi Mean For Our Community? Pamodzi is a Bantu word that means together; the choice of adverb is the product of a transient socio-political period that left many communities-within-communities questioning their right to exist in the UK.
 
Pamodzi was born from the need to create an authentic space where inspirational stories are celebrated and others around us feel inspired, challenged and affirmed through everything.
 
The word has come to mean much more than this for us. It is the embodiment of what we stand for as an organisation: celebrating each other, working together and supporting one another in whatever way we can.
 
This is why we advocate for a community that celebrates one another. We believe it is the key to driving positive change in our society.

Inspirational Women of Portsmouth Awards One of the ways in which we celebrate and support our community is through our unique award event.
 
It recognises the outstanding achievements of women who are making a positive difference in Portsmouth. It is a chance to shine a spotlight on some truly inspirational individuals and give them the recognition they deserve across many different categories.
 
Anyone who identifies as female can be nominated for their contribution to business, STEM, education, the arts and much more. However, we don't have 'winners' but award recipients.
 
We prefer this term because you are nominated as part of a community that you belong to, rather than competing against the most 'elite performers'. In essence, any award given is a product of that whole tribe.
 
That is why we advocate for a community that celebrates one another. Without the support and continued encouragement to drive positive change, the community would not benefit.
 
If you know anyone who you think would be a good nominee for our 2023 awards, keep an eye out for our October launch event!

Benefits of Community Whether it be a small neighbourhood, group of faith, sports club or educational institution, being a part of something like this can have serious benefits on a person's mental and physical health.
 
Many people underestimate the power of this type of connection - another reason why we advocate for a community that celebrates one another.

Resilience People who are part of close-knit communities are more likely to weather difficult times. This is because they have a built-in support system - something that is essential during tough periods and times of change or initiative. Being able to rely on others and know that they will be there for you can make all the difference.
 
Furthermore, having a variety of skill sets, leadership and organisation can reduce the burden on any one particular person. Encouragement from all drives the tribe forwards - utilising strength in numbers.

Mental Health There are a number of studies that show the correlation between being part of a community and good mental health. This is likely due to the increased social interaction and support that is available.
 
Loneliness has been linked to a whole host of mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, by being part of a community, you are more likely to avoid these issues.
 
Not only that, but being around people that celebrate your achievements and skills can really boost self esteem - pushing people to do more, challenge themselves and implement new positive changes.

Resources When you are a part of a community, you have access to a range of resources that may otherwise be unavailable.
 
This could be financial support during tough times, advice and guidance from those with more experience or simply a shoulder to cry on when needed.
 
In addition, many communities also pool their resources in order to fund projects or causes that they are passionate about. This could be anything from starting a new business to cleaning up the local area.
 
But, by working together, we can achieve so much more than we ever could alone.
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The Heart of Why We Advocate For a Community We hope this has given you some food for thought and inspired you to get involved in your tribe.
 
Remember, being part of a tribe is about more than just receiving - it's also about giving back. So, get out there and start celebrating one another!
 
Pamodzi Creatives is a charity that advocates for a community that celebrates one another. We recognise the outstanding achievements of people who are making a positive difference in Portsmouth through our unique award event.
 
However, most of all we are a Community Interest Company that exists to benefit a tribe & pursue a social purpose.
 
There are many ways you can support the work of our Pamodzi tribe and advocate with us.
 
Firstly, you can become a sponsor for our Inspirational Women of Portsmouth Event.  Simply commit to one of our sponsorship packages and contact us at sponsors@pamodzicreatives.com to find out more!
 
Otherwise, you can subscribe to our patreon page, gaining exclusive access to new content and podcasts.
 
If neither of those take your fancy, we always appreciate people using their own voices and platforms to express the work we do in the community. Sharing our content through any social media helps raise awareness of our mission and showcases the fantastic people making up our tribe.