Dr. Tererai Trent Lecture at WC: A Chat with Heather Mizeur

A chance meeting, an open door, a new opportunity to be of service: that’s the way Heather Mizeur sees her meeting with Dr. Tererai Trent at an event last Fall she co-facilitated with “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert.

From any perspective, Dr. Trent’s life—from her harsh endurance of poverty and patriarchal abuse in Zimbabwe to a celebrated avatar for change with a global platform, author, and educator—is mind-blowing.

Born into severe poverty in rural Zimbabwe and made a child bride, Dr. Trent’s dream was to get an education—from an undergraduate to a doctoral degree—and return to her community to build schools for children and teach them how to break out of the insidious cycle of poverty.

The dream manifested with encouragement from Jo Luck, president and CEO of Heifer International, her mother, and Oprah Winfrey. Trent’s two appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show earned the host’s praise as her “all-time favorite guest.” Winfrey also donated $1.5 million to rebuild schools in Trent’s Zimbabwe village.

Additionally, Winfrey wrote a rare Foreword for Trent’s book, The Awakened Woman: A Guide for Remembering and Igniting Your Sacred Dreams, which received the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work.

Trent’s ongoing mission to provide universal access to quality education started with the rebuilding of her childhood primary school in Matau and the founding of Tererai Trent International (TTI), a foundation focused on improving education quality, gender parity in education, innovation, and technology for the schools, health and nutrition for the students, and a global curriculum.

These goals and Tererai Trent’s spirit resonated deeply with Heather Mizeur and the missions of both her farm and the non-profit organization she founded and manages. At the #WeAreOne Alliance (formerly known as Soul Force Politics), Mizeur is initiating a new program with Trent called the “Sacred Dreams Project,” which will be unveiled at the March lecture. Learning that eight of the twelve schools built by TTI still lack access to water led Mizeur to spearhead a fundraising initiative to dig the wells and plant gardens to feed the children. These gardens will be held as “sister gardens” to Apotheosis Farm, and Mizeur and her spouse, Deborah, will visit them in Zimbabwe this June.

The Spy recently talked with Heather Mizeur about the project and Dr. Trent’s visit to Washington College.

This video is approximately ten minutes in length. To find out more about the #WeAreOneAlliance and Apotheosis Farm’s work with Dr. Trent, go here. Washington College, #WeAreOne Alliance, and Apotheosis Farm are sponsors for Dr. Trent’s 4 pm book signing and 5 pm lecture on Tuesday, March 5th, Decker Theatre, Washington College. There will be a public reception following the event.