fatou_jagne_senghor

A Senegalese cultural activist reviving traditional arts to empower women

Fatou Jagne Senghor (born 1968) is a cultural preservationist and founder of Djolofemmes, an organization revitalizing Wolof women's oral traditions. Born in Dakar, she grew up hearing stories of the griottes - female oral historians - whose roles were diminishing in modern society. In 1997, she established Djolofemmes to document and teach ancestral storytelling, song, and dance forms. The initiative has trained over 3,000 women in preserving cultural heritage while building leadership skills. Senghor also created the Women's Oral Literature Festival, now a major cultural event attracting 50,000 attendees annually. Her work has been documented in the British Museum's African heritage collection and featured in NPR documentaries. She co-authored "L'Art de la Parole Chez les Femmes du Sénégal" and founded the Senegal Art Foundation. Senghor's approach links cultural preservation with economic empowerment, helping women create traditional crafts cooperatives that generate $2M+ annually. Her TED Talk "The Power of Women's Voices" has inspired global movements to preserve intangible cultural heritage.