↑ rachel cambell
@theleapbd
tell us a little bit about yourself!
Rachel Cambell is a socially engaged practitioner and creative educator in Bradford. She works with the learning-disabled and neurodivergent community, marginalized adults and Home Educating families, using art and storytelling to build connection and inclusion.
what qualities do you most admire in other women?
I grew up in a culture that valued women that were submissive - meek and mild and letting men take the lead. These days I like the brash and bold women - who tell it like it is. Those that are so used to spinning the plates and wearing all the hats that chaos becomes a thing of beauty around them. And while my chaos is more on the messy side, I love that I get to work alongside women like this in my role as Community Connector in Bradford West. I get to bring more art experiences into the communities I love being part of - the working class, neurodivergent communities and home educating families.
how has your journey into creative community work unfolded, and what challenges have you faced along the way?
I stepped out of the traditional workplace in my 30s - did voluntary work, had three kids and deep dived into the world of alternative education. Then, without really planning it, I somehow managed to get a job doing video content creation despite being someone that threw up at the idea of Zoom meetings. Since then I've inched my way back into creative community work. I've had some hits and misses. Community work as a middle-aged mother who is becoming reluctant besties with the menopause isn't always straightforward. The one thing that has made it possible - that in fact has changed this from a perceived weakness to an actual strength - is other women. Women in Bradford especially.
It's here that I met women whose honesty and openness made me feel less alone. It's here I saw women who used every moment to advocate for their communities. Who went the extra mile to make others feel welcomed. Passionate, clever women who are as at ease discussing politics as they are changing nappies. Women who know there is value in both of these. These women grew my confidence, set examples and opened doors that have allowed me to somehow create this ramshackle role I currently have.
how can we create a more inclusive and flexible creative world for women?
I believe more and more that the only way we can make the creative world welcoming for women - both the artists and the audience - is to hack the system. The 9-5 does not work for many of us - the needs of our communities, our children and, I'll be the first to say it, our hormones require creativity not just in the type of work we do but the way we do it.
It's not that we need a creative sector that accommodates our 'weakness' but one that rightly recognises our diverse needs as strength. I'm thankful for the women I work with, both in the voluntary and creative arts sector, who already do this. I can attend meetings online while my kids build Lego on the rug next to me because I'm led by women who get that this increases, not diminishes, my capacity to use my work hours shrewdly. I record workshop evaluations on voice memos while I walk to Asda because I work with women who know that this is far more informative than a form filled in three days later. If I need to pause in an explanation of an activity to give my kid a hug for a scraped knee, the people I work with know that this is a sign of empathy not a lack of professionalism. Instead of having to fit into a tight box of rigid hours and expectations, I am trusted to work flexibly-allowing me to sync my work with my hormonal cycle.
Ultimately, this means I get to bring my best to Bradford-creatively, chaotically, and hopefully with a hefty dose of compassion-for myself, for those I work with, and for the women I hope will one day take my place.
