WELCOMING 

PAMELLA PHIRI

CANADIAN ACTOR, MODEL, STYLIST AND

BUSINESSWOMAN

1      Please tell us a little bit about your background?

       A:   I was born and raised in Lusaka, Zambia in April 1980, in a family of six and I being the third born. My dad passed away when I was in grade ten -  that was in 1997. Ever since, we were raised up by a single parent and also by immediate cousins.

2       Have you always wanted to be an entertainer?

       A:    Yes I have always wanted to be an entertainer since the age of seven, I remember playing with my friends and giving each other some roles to play and as young as we were, we did pretty good and liking what we were doing.

3       Is anyone else in your family/relations in entertainment?

        A:    Yes I have few cousins back home and also my first born daughter who just turned thirteen years in March, loves singing and comedy. She is now working on different accents including British, Jamaican, Australian, East Indian, Nigerian and has already a Canadian accent. I have three children of my own and two step sons, of which all have modelled and performed for my clothing store fashion show.

4      You are an actor and model, Are you professionally trained in both skills?

        A:    I wouldn’t say trained, but I have talent, but back home in my elementary grade, I did take drama classes and acted in few plays. In my adulthood, back home I did join some drama classes at YMCA and acted in some few plays and here in Canada, after some auditions, I did qualify by the modelling agency in Edmonton and flew to Toronto, to go and perform. I had an opportunity to model, act and photo shots. I have volunteered as a audience wrangler at SHAW T.V. in the city I live in.

5       Are you professionally represented or do you represent yourself?

         A:     I represent myself.

6        What have you acted in?

          A:      Plays, fashion shows, animation and at a Canada day event, I sang.

7        Have you worked beside any well-known names?

          A:      No

8         What have you modelled in and for?

          A:      I have modelled for my clothing store as mentioned earlier and a talent show for the Canadian Models and Actors Center (CMAC) way back in 2007.

9         What and/ or who are your inspirations?

            A:      Oprah Winfrey, my mother and Obama.

10        Have you ever been bullied?

            A:       I think I was when young, but without realizing it, not until old. And in my old age I would call it abused.

11   Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this problem?

           A:       I think they are, but to an extent. One time my son came and told me that one of his friends was throwing sand in his hair and trying to push him around while on recess. Immediately I contacted the school and was told by the school principal that they are looking into it, for they realized that the boy has done that to many kids. I left the matter in their hands and just after few months he came with a scratch and told me that it was the same boy who did it. I told him that immediately it happens, he should inform his teacher. His response was, I do tell her. So I didn’t know what to believe.

12      What more do you feel the above could do to either decrease this problem hugely or eliminate it altogether?

        A:        I think whenever it happens, I need to report it at the school and try to see if they could talk to the parent of the kid. Of which, the principal told me that she approached the boy's parent and if not changed they’ll have to remove him out from that school.  And lastly, telling our children that whenever it happens, they should address it immediately to their parents.

13    On a personal level, what would you like to do to help in the fight against bullying?

        A:     By getting permission to schools and clubs just to see if I could talk directly to students.

14       What advice would you give to someone who is currently a victim to help them through their nightmare now- perhaps based on your own experience?

           A:          I would tell a victim to stand strong and face their abusers by telling them to stop or else they will be reported to the teacher or parents. Try to encourage them that what they’re doing is not good. Someday they’ll come to realize their behaviour, because sometimes I find that bullies were once victims.

15         What is on your agenda for the rest of 2014?

          A:        I am trying to be an Ambassador for a good cause, at the moment running my clothing store and put important things together.

16          Do you have anything further to add?

            A:         No.

17          Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?

            A:          I would like to tell the victims out there that, we are there for them and will try by all means to support them. All they should do is, take courage and face their abusers and put their bullying behaviour to a STOP. And to the bullies out there, you don’t get anything from your behaviours, but by hurting innocent souls. Come to your senses and STOP bullying others at once. You might have been bullied before or not, the fact is that, BULLYING is not acceptable in society.

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