About The Speakers
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi is a priest of Ṣàngó, Ifá, and Egúngún, a traditional herbalist, filmmaker, and founder of Orilagba Temple and Institute. Trained by esteemed elders across West Africa and the diaspora, he blends ancestral wisdom with modern wellness. A Reiki Master with degrees in film and nutrition, he leads retreats
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi is a priest of Ṣàngó, Ifá, and Egúngún, a traditional herbalist, filmmaker, and founder of Orilagba Temple and Institute. Trained by esteemed elders across West Africa and the diaspora, he blends ancestral wisdom with modern wellness. A Reiki Master with degrees in film and nutrition, he leads retreats in Puerto Rico and produced Odun Osun: Return to the Water. He was recently installed as Balogun OniSango of Oyo Empire.
Iya Funlayo E. Wood, PhD
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Iya Funlayo E. Wood, PhD is a scholar-practitioner of Africana Religions, specializing in the Ifa-Orisa tradition. She is the founding director of the African and Diasporic Religious Studies Association (ADRSA), chief priestess of Ile Ase Ire, Inc., and serves as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Her work has been published
Iya Funlayo E. Wood, PhD is a scholar-practitioner of Africana Religions, specializing in the Ifa-Orisa tradition. She is the founding director of the African and Diasporic Religious Studies Association (ADRSA), chief priestess of Ile Ase Ire, Inc., and serves as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Her work has been published in academic and popular venues including the Journal of Africana Studies and the Review of ReligiousResearch. Affectionatey known as Your Favorite Scholar-Priestess, Dr. Wood is a dedicated public scholar who lectures frequently and has appeared in documentaries for PBS and the National Geographic Channel.
Sen Elias
Olóyè Fáṣẹ̀yẹ Ṣàngóbukùnmi Egúnjobi
Oloye Sade Ajala
Sen Elias’ journey to Hoodoo began with his grandmother’s guidance and wisdom and ancestral Gullah blood. Hereditary spiritual practices empower Sen Elias’ work. In 2015, he founded Crescent City Conjure, a full-service Hoodoo shop in the heart of New Orleans. Sen Elias is a third degree High Priest in the Alexandrian tradition, scratche
Sen Elias’ journey to Hoodoo began with his grandmother’s guidance and wisdom and ancestral Gullah blood. Hereditary spiritual practices empower Sen Elias’ work. In 2015, he founded Crescent City Conjure, a full-service Hoodoo shop in the heart of New Orleans. Sen Elias is a third degree High Priest in the Alexandrian tradition, scratched in Palo Mayombe, High Priest in the Hoodoo tradition, and has received the Hand of Ifa. Although his journey started at a young age, he never stops growing, learning and educating others in the spiritual arts. Sen Elias teaches courses both in-person and through his virtual educational portal called Crossroads Academy. He also presents sessions around the country at conferences and workshops on Hoodoo, conjure, and rootwork.
Oloye Sade Ajala
Dr. Khytie K. Brown
Oloye Sade Ajala
Oloye Sade Ajala is a Yoruba priestess, healer, and founder of Ile Àṣẹ Oya Gbera. Raised in Cleveland and trained from youth in rootwork and Reiki, she blends ancestral traditions with modern healing. Initiated into Ọya, Ifa, Osun, Egungun, and Egbe, she holds certifications in herbalism and acupuncture. Honored as Oloye Amuwera Foya in
Oloye Sade Ajala is a Yoruba priestess, healer, and founder of Ile Àṣẹ Oya Gbera. Raised in Cleveland and trained from youth in rootwork and Reiki, she blends ancestral traditions with modern healing. Initiated into Ọya, Ifa, Osun, Egungun, and Egbe, she holds certifications in herbalism and acupuncture. Honored as Oloye Amuwera Foya in 2021, she continues to teach and guide spiritual seekers across the diaspora, preserving and sharing Yoruba culture and wisdom.
Dr. Khytie K. Brown
Dr. Khytie K. Brown
Dr. Khytie K. Brown
Dr. Khytie K. Brown is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at UT Austin and a scholar of Africana religions, Black religious culture, and Caribbean traditions. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard and recently completed her first documentary, Crossing the Kalunga Line, on Jamaican Revival Zion. A Crossroads Community Stories Fellow at
Dr. Khytie K. Brown is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at UT Austin and a scholar of Africana religions, Black religious culture, and Caribbean traditions. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard and recently completed her first documentary, Crossing the Kalunga Line, on Jamaican Revival Zion. A Crossroads Community Stories Fellow at Princeton, her work explores religion, film, gender, and sensory knowledge in the African diaspora.