My name is Elise Brun. I was born and raised in Senegal/West Africa, which has given me everything. When I was very young, I always wanted to be of service to others, just like my late mother. I wanted to serve with love and compassion, because I've seen and experienced misery, not extreme but I know what it's like.

As an adult, I started working early to help my mother. In Dakar, I worked for Mitsubishi Corporation, which had projects, then for an American organization working on projects with women. At the same time, I was doing religious radio programs, which was my passion. I read a lot and was often silent.

When I went to the United States, I joined the American organization, then the International Monetary Fund. After my retirement, for three years I worked with the Saint François International School with the children, who gave me so much joy and love. I've always been involved in the Church. I'm in the Association of Catholic Senegalese living in the United States. I was president of the Association for two consecutive terms, the liturgical commission, and during Covid-19, the social commission, which ties in with my love of serving.

I've done several social and religious TV shows. Every Saturday, I take part in a religious and/or socio-religious program on the Senegalese community radio station "DMV" in Washington, DC. For several years now, I've been collecting children's and women's clothes, shoes and books and transporting them to Senegal by my own means for distribution in the villages, and it does me a lot of good to see the joy on people's faces.

I stand before you and with you as I am, simple and useless. I try to give a smile and faith to those who have lost it.