Speaking
Genocide survivor speaker on resilience, justice and hope
I was ten when the genocide against the Tutsi took my parents, most of my siblings, my home and my childhood. Years later, speaking up for myself and fellow survivors forced me to flee Rwanda and start over again. My talks cover what happened and what it taught me: resilience is not a finish line, no one bounces back alone, and justice doesn’t have to mean revenge.
Survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi · Former attorney licensed in Rwanda · MPA, Grand Valley State University · Justice analyst in West Michigan local government, working on accountability and transparency in public safety · Writing at Justice4Survivors since 2013
Who I speak to
- Middle and high schools
- Universities
- Museums
- Churches and faith groups
- Retreats
- Conferences
- Youth groups
- Community events
- Online
Resilience, the way I have lived it
Mine is not a neat story where the tragedy ends and the success begins. This is what surviving has actually taught me.
It broke me, and I am still bouncing back
The genocide took almost everything that was dear to me: my parents, most of my siblings, my cousins, the home I grew up in, and my childhood. It broke me. I still finished school, became a lawyer, and built a family with my wife and our two children. But I have never fully arrived. More than thirty years later, I am still bouncing back, and I think that is what resilience honestly looks like.
No one bounces back alone
I didn’t survive on my own strength. A Hutu man risked his family to hide me. My 14-year-old sister pulled me from among the bodies and disguised me as a girl. A man with no blood ties to me adopted me. Help often comes from people you would never expect, and each of us can be that person for someone else.
Sometimes you have to start over twice
After the genocide, I rebuilt. As a young lawyer, I represented victims in court and took on genocide perpetrators. Around the 20th anniversary of the genocide, I led a campaign for survivors’ reparations and criticized the government’s marginalization of survivors and others. That work forced me to flee Rwanda. I left behind a legal career that was just getting started and began again from scratch, in a new country and a new language.
Pain doesn’t have to become revenge
I won’t sugarcoat it, as some do, by saying I have forgiven those who killed my family and took part in the genocide. But I am not consumed by revenge. I am consumed by the need to really understand and to be better. That is why I chose law and then policy, earning a master’s degree from Grand Valley State University, with a concentration in policy analysis, evaluation and advocacy. It is also why I now work in public safety oversight in West Michigan, helping make policing more accountable and transparent and supporting restorative programs that lead to fairer outcomes.
Living for the ones who never grew up
Part of what keeps me going is wanting to make my mother and father proud, and to do some of the things my siblings never got to grow up to do.
I hope my story reaches someone who is going through hard times and hasn’t been able to bounce back yet, or someone who hasn’t been as lucky as I was to have anchors, the right angels, on their path. And I hope it moves others to become those anchors.
The anchors in my life
These are the people, and the place, that carried me.
Simeon and his family
A brave Hutu man who hid my sister and me until the genocide ended, putting his own life and his family’s lives at risk to save ours.
My sister Providence
At 14, she pulled me out from among the bodies at our killing site. She dressed me in a schoolgirl’s dress and gave me a girl’s name, because boys were the main target, and made sure I answered to it until the genocide ended. It helped keep me alive.
My sister Christine
She was in Switzerland during the genocide and came looking for us as soon as it ended. She set the stage for my adoption.
Raphael
A single man who had never married and had no blood ties to me, but adopted me anyway.
My wife and our two children
The family we built is my home now, and they still keep me grounded.
The United States and its people
This country and its people, the friends and neighbors who welcomed me, gave me so much, including the privilege of being an American. Here I can speak and write freely. People who grew up with that freedom may take it for granted. To me it is a luxury. In Rwanda, a single blog post criticizing the regime can land you in prison or cost you your life. More than once, a single post on this little-known blog was enough to make me a target. The government that says it rescued us when it ended the genocide never allowed me that freedom, and using it forced me to flee for my life more than a decade ago. This country isn’t perfect, but it is the freest place I have ever known.
Talk topics
Broken, and still bouncing back
An honest talk on resilience: what the genocide took from me, how I rebuilt, and why recovery is a road, not a finish line. Shaped to the age of the group.
No one bounces back alone
A Hutu rescuer, a 14-year-old sister, an adoptive father with no blood ties. What anchors look like, and how to be one for someone else.
Surviving twice: genocide and exile
Speaking up for survivors, fleeing Rwanda, and starting over from scratch in a new country and a new language.
Justice without revenge
Why I haven’t forgiven, and why I am still not consumed by revenge. From genocide trials and reparations in Rwanda to accountability and restorative work in public safety today.
How a genocide is organized
ID cards, propaganda, checkpoints and neighbors turned killers. What the warning signs look like.
Memory, denial and survivors today
Commemoration, genocide denial, and what survivors still face thirty years on.
Need another survivor’s voice?
If I’m not available, or you’re looking for a speaker in another area, I can connect your school, museum, church or retreat with other survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi.
Formats
| Format | Best for | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom visit | Middle school, high school and university classes | 45 to 60 minutes with Q&A |
| Assembly or keynote | Schools, museums, conferences and commemorations | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Resilience talk | Youth groups, community programs, and anyone going through hard times | Flexible |
| Church or retreat session | Faith communities, reflection and reconciliation retreats | Flexible |
| Virtual visit | Any group, anywhere | 30 to 60 minutes |
How booking works
1
Send a request
Tell me about your organization, your audience and their age, possible dates, and whether you’d like me in person or online.
2
We plan the talk
We agree on length, topics and format, shaped to your group and your goals.
3
Prepare your group
Genocide Against the Tutsi 101 and my books and films list help your group arrive ready.
Request a talk
Fill in what you can and I’ll reply by email. Prefer email? Write to justicesurvivors98@gmail.com.
Common questions
Do you speak about resilience and overcoming adversity?
Yes. My resilience talks aren’t about quick fixes. I speak honestly about being broken, the people who helped me back up, and starting over more than once. They are for people who are struggling and for those who want to help them.
Is the talk only about the genocide?
No. I give the history your audience needs, but many groups invite me for what came after: resilience, starting over, and justice without revenge.
Is a talk suitable for middle school students?
Yes. I shape every talk to the age of the group, from middle school students to adults.
Can you speak online?
Yes. I speak in person and online, so distance doesn’t have to be a barrier.
Can you recommend another survivor speaker?
Yes. If I’m not available, or you need someone in another area, I can connect you with other survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi. Choose “An introduction to another survivor speaker” in the request form.
Do you speak at churches and retreats?
Yes. I speak to faith communities and at retreats, as well as at schools, universities, museums and conferences.
How should my group prepare?
Genocide Against the Tutsi 101 covers the basics and a short timeline. My books and films list helps teachers who want to go further.