In 1970, nineteen-year-old sophomore Nawanna Lewis from Atlanta organized the Pamoja organization when Black Student Union (BSU) President Dwight Thomas appointed her as the Mistress of Cultural Affairs at the University of Georgia (UGA). There was an obvious void in the culture to meet the needs of Black students. That void was not simply social—it was artistic, and journalistic.  Black students were burdened to navigate an environment where their voices were underrepresented, their stories were untold, and their cultural expressions were not fully embraced or institutionalized. 

Pamoja is a Swahili word that means "Together or Togetherness"! The creation of the Pamoja organizations became both a response and a declaration. Pamoja affirmed that Black students deserved spaces where their creativity, scholarship, and lived experiences could flourish with authenticity and excellence. These organizations provided platforms for cultural performance, storytelling, and journalistic integrity—ensuring that Black perspectives were not marginalized, but centered and celebrated. 

 Establishing such organizations is essential in any academic setting where diversity exists, but inclusion is incomplete. The organizations do more than fill a gap—they cultivate identity, preserve history, and empower students to become narrators of their own journeys. In doing so, they transform not only the student experiences, but the very culture of the institution itself. 

The original five organizations were the Pamoja Singers, Pamoja Dancers, Pamoja Drama and Arts, Pamoja Newspaper, and the Journalism Association for Minorities. In 2021, following the 50TH Anniversity of the African Choral Ensemble (AACE), we learned that four of the five original organizations survived and flourished. They are currently known as the African American Choral Ensemble (AACE), Pamoja Dance Company, the UGA Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, and InfUSion Magazine. UGA graduate student, Larry Calhoun, established the Black Theatrical Ensemble (BTE) in 1976. Dr. Gregory Broughton, Conductor of AACE  for over 35 years, facilitated the recognition of ACCE as a curriculum component of the Hugh Hobson School of Music. 

These excellent cultural and journalistic organizations are living institutions of identity, creativity, and truth. They exist to preserve heritage, amplify voices, and create spaces where UGA students can fully express who they are while shaping who they are becoming. Pamoja Connections, Incorporated exists as an arbor of love and support -- The Baobab Tree!