Growing and learning together

?? Growing Together

Growing up in West Yorkshire as a Black British woman with Jamaican heritage, I inhabited two worlds. One was our tight-knit Caribbean community - a protected sanctuary where our culture flourished, where Jamaica's food, music, and traditions were kept alive in the heart of Yorkshire. The other was the wider British society, with its different expectations and ways of being. This constant navigation between two cultures, two ways of understanding the world, has profoundly shaped my understanding of human needs and community wellbeing.

I've grappled with the challenge of showing up authentically in spaces where my whole self feels foreign. Many of us know this dance —holding the richness of our home culture while trying to find our footing in spaces that weren't necessarily built for us. Through my own leadership journey, I've come to recognise that this very duality, though challenging, has given me unique insights into human connection and community.

?? Ancient Wisdom in Modern Times

In 1938, Abraham Maslow spent time with the Siksika (Blackfoot) Nation, an experience that would shape his famous hierarchy of needs, though this influence often goes unacknowledged. As someone who knows what it means to have cultural wisdom overlooked, I find it crucial to highlight this connection. The Blackfoot people shared their sophisticated understanding of human development with him, which placed the community at its heart, much like the Caribbean community that nurtured me in Yorkshire.

?? Where Worlds Meet

My journey of understanding human needs weaves together three distinct perspectives, each offering its own wisdom:

The Blackfoot perspective begins with self-actualisation as the foundation, seeing each person as born with gifts that need community support to flourish. This reminds me of how our Caribbean community in Yorkshire nurtured each child's potential, understanding that our individual growth strengthened the whole community.

Maslow's hierarchy, which focuses on individual needs and builds up to self-actualisation, reflects much of Western society's emphasis on personal achievement. Living between cultures, I've experienced the value and limitations of this individualistic approach.

Ubuntu philosophy speaks to my soul with its wisdom that "umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu" is a person through other persons. This resonates deeply with my experience of our protective Caribbean community in Yorkshire, where our identities were woven together through shared experiences, traditions, and mutual support.

?? Finding My Light

Through my leadership development work, I've confronted the challenge of being visible in spaces where I feel different. The safety of our close-knit community was a blessing, but it also meant that stepping outside that protected space could feel overwhelming. Learning to see vulnerability as a strength rather than a weakness has been transformative. When I share my authentic self - my cultural heritage, Yorkshire roots, and professional identity - I'm often surprised by how this openness creates space for others to do the same.

?? Building Community Through Broadcasting

These perspectives aren't just theoretical - they're actively shaping how I approach co-founding Black People in Sports Broadcasting (BPSB). Our organisation embodies the principle that collective community is fundamental, and no one should be left behind. In the competitive world of sports broadcasting, we're creating the protected, nurturing space I benefited from in my Yorkshire-Caribbean community while building bridges to opportunities in the wider industry.

Through BPSB, we're putting these philosophical principles into action:

? Creating Safe Spaces: We're building a space that understands and values cultural differences, where members can bring their whole selves without fear. This means acknowledging that many of our members are navigating multiple cultural contexts, just as I learned.

?? Leading with Heart: At BPSB, leadership isn't about individual success but collective uplift. True leadership emerges not from pretending to have all the answers but from the courage to be authentically yourself while creating pathways for others.

?? Growing Together: Understanding that we're all connected - as Ubuntu philosophy teaches us - is central to BPSB's mission. We're not just building careers but nurturing a community where each person's success strengthens the whole.

?? The Journey Continues

The journey between cultures - between my protected Yorkshire-Caribbean community and the wider world - has shaped my personal growth and my vision for BPSB. Each perspective I've encountered, from Blackfoot wisdom to Ubuntu philosophy, reinforces our commitment to ensuring that no one in our community gets left behind.

As I continue my leadership journey and work with BPSB, I carry with me the strength of my community, the wisdom of multiple cultural traditions, and the growing understanding that being visibly, authentically myself - even when it feels vulnerable - creates pathways for others. In sports broadcasting, where representation matters deeply, this approach isn't just about individual success - it's about transforming the industry through collective action and mutual support.

In our modern world, where many of us navigate multiple cultural identities and spaces, these ancient wisdom traditions offer vital insights. They remind us that true growth happens not in isolation but in brave connection with others and that our differences, when embraced, make all of us stronger. Through BPSB, we're putting these principles into practice, creating a community where cultural wisdom meets professional development and no one walks alone.