International Vodou Day - New Orleans May 23-24, 2026 -

Every once in a while a chance meeting occurs and in the chaos of this life you meet someone whose way of thinking and principles align with yours...and a friendship is born. Such was the case when I arrived at the Kosanba Conference at Xavier University in New Orleans with my cousin Rachel Beauvoir, who was preparing for her presentation. A Manbo (Vodou priestess) from New Orleans was speaking of healing her community in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina with the power of prayer and Vodou. Her name was Sallie Ann Glassman. She was not Haitian or African but Jewish and American and the author of 2 books on Vodou and more particularly the New Orleans Vodou Tarot deck, which still I use and find fascinating.

Rachel glanced over at me and said, “You’ll love her...she is a vegetarian Manbo...and also committed to changing the narrative on Vodou. She was initiated by one of the most respected hougans in Haiti.. I later found out she was spiritually called into Vodou to do her work for the community.

Her work continues today, with the New Orleans International Vodou Days event which she worked so hard to establish and which was marked by a sister city ceremony last year between Whydah, Benin (the city of African Vodou) and New Orleans.

I was invited to sing at the opening ceremony, and I stayed and discovered how deeply our Vodou reaches into Indigenous and American culture, and the impact it has had on American culture as well as in Haiti, the Caribbean, and South America.

This year I will be there to help translate the conferences, present my Modern Manbo Veve collection, speak of my new children’s book series, OUR VODOU, and perhaps sing a song or two.

 If you are in New Orleans ...come and participate in this amazing weekend celebrating Vodou, Voodoo and the indigenous traditions. See the ornate costumes of the Indian Chiefs, which take years to make, see the ceremony on Congo square and hear the scholars who have come from around the world to speak about the traditions and history of Vodou. Take part in the Procession on Sunday all the way to Congo Square.

For more info :

https://www.vodouday.org/

New Orleans International Vodou Day

WHAT IS VODOU DAY?

New Orleans International Vodou Day is a two-day remembrance, educational gathering, and cultural experience honoring the history, resilience, and living traditions of Vodou in New Orleans and across the diaspora. Rooted in community, it brings together international and local cultural bearers, along with spiritual leaders, scholars, artists, and the public, for a shared experience of remembrance, learning, and cultural connection.

Through symposium, ceremony, art, and community, we come together to honor the past, uplift the present, and shape the future, offering space to engage with the traditions, teachings, and cultural expressions that continue to live and evolve across the diaspora today.