Clemantine Wamariya

About the Author

Clemantine Wamariya is a Rwandan-American writer, activist, and speaker whose work powerfully chronicles the human spirit's resilience amid unimaginable adversity. Born in Rwanda, she fled the 1994 genocide as a child, embarking on a harrowing journey across refugee camps in Africa before resettling in the United States as a teenager. Her memoir, The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After, draws from her lived experiences to explore the lingering scars of trauma, the complexities of identity, and the quest for belonging in a fractured world. A former fellow at the MacDowell Colony and a contributor to outlets like The New York Times and NPR, Wamariya advocates for refugees and marginalized voices, blending raw honesty with profound insight to illuminate paths toward healing and hope.