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Name
Our Mission
empowering one another for a stronger community
The mission of Bridge-Pamoja is to close the relational divide between the African Diaspora and the African community by working together to build a bridge through educating and empowering one another for a stronger community.
THE POWER OF UBUNTU
There is a word in South Africa – Ubuntu – a word that captures Mandela’s greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.
There is a Zulu proverb called Ubuntu that says: “I am a person through other people. My humanity is tied to yours.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu explained it this way: “One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu — the essence of being human.
Pamoja
Pamoja is a Swahili word that means “together” – an apt encapsulation of our mission to encourage togetherness.
OBJECTIVES
Bridge-Pamoja is working to expand our base of supporters and stakeholders as we look to establish the program as a sustainable force in our community.
- Provide learning opportunities of our history and its contribution to the world
- Create a platform to address the misperceptions and stereotypes we have of one another
- Create a transgenerational conversation that fosters a stronger collaborative future for our communities locally and abroad
- Facilitate healthy youth interaction
- Promote coalition building
HEALING DIVISIONS
Bridge-Pamoja brings members from diverse Black communities together, from an intersectionality of ages, genders, faiths, and social backgrounds – to explore and dismantle the root causes of our divisions.
BUILDING RESILIENCE
In addition to the remarkable resilience we have had to develop over centuries of oppression, individuals representing the African Diaspora and Africa have tremendous capacity for understanding, empathy, and growth.
By coming together around the many issues that unite our communities, and rejecting false divisions, Bridge-Pamoja seeks to create lasting change; healing old wounds and elevating our voices in unison.
Our Declaration
Having acknowledged our common heritage, shared experiences, challenges, and unique contribution to the world;
Having acknowledged misconceptions and stereotypes we have toward each other;
Having affirmed our core values, the essence and importance of bridging the relational divide existing between us as one people;
We hereby declare and affirm the following:
- We declare our love and support for each other irrespective of regional heritage, religious affiliations and socio-economic status.
- We declare and affirm a commitment to treat each other with integrity, respect, and dignity.
- We commit to intentionally close the relational divide and build a BRIDGE to support the personal, educational and socio-economic empowerment of one another.
- We declare our commitment to speak with one voice and advocate for one another even during inconvenient times.
- We declare our singular African heritage and refuse to be divided along ethnicity and imposed influences that keep us apart. WE ARE ONE!
