African educator, human rights activist and philanthropist Dr. Dòwòti Désir, Queen Mother of the African Diaspora of Benin, will share her knowledge and experiences during a series of public gatherings at EMU next week.

Désir is an interfaith leader, scholar and expert on African diaspora heritage sites. As the former chair of the NGO Committee for the Elimination of Racism, Afrophobia and Colorism at the United Nations, she has worked with Dr. Gaurav J. Pathania, assistant professor of sociology and peacebuilding at EMU, on issues related to caste. Désir has spoken at Harvard Divinity School, Columbia University and New York University, and said she was “delighted and honored” to visit EMU.

“I end up speaking, in some ways, to the same audiences all the time,” she said. “This is a very different audience for me and I look forward to the conversation. I’m eager to learn about social justice from an EMU perspective.”

All events below are scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.

‘Compassion: The Intangible Asset’

Time: 10:10 a.m.
Location: University Commons Student Union
About: As the first Queen Mother of the African Diaspora on the African continent, Désir oversees welcoming home people whose ancestors were torn away due to slavery. Her main address for convocation will focus on social justice and the importance of compassion.

She is a former adviser and designated expert to the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on projects related to the global African community.

‘The African Diaspora: A Photographer’s Lens’

Time: 11:15 a.m.
Location: West Dining Room
About: The Queen Mother will lead a lunch discussion on using photography to tell the story of the African Diaspora and the impacts of slavery.

She has visited and documented more than 90 sites around the world that speak to the historic experiences of Africans and their descendants in the Diaspora.

‘Interfaith Dialogue with a Vodou High Priestess’

Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Northlawn East Dining Room
About: Désir is a Manbo Asogwe, a priestess in the West African faith tradition of Vodou. Learn about Vodou beliefs, practices, history and traditions during this talk, as she answers questions and clears up misconceptions.

According to Harvard University’s , Vodou — meaning “spirit” or “god” in the Fon and Ewe languages of West Africa — is a blending, or syncretism, of African religious traditions and Catholicism. It has come to be used as the name for the religious traditions of Haiti, which is where Désir was born.

Events are hosted by: EMU Engage; Center for Interfaith Engagement; Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and the Visual and Communication Arts (VaCA) Department.