Film: Finding Ubuntu

Finding Ubuntu is a documentary profiling the personal journey of a Congolese hero, Maick Mutej, who emerges human rights advocate helping thousands of refugees in Malawi while in the midst of his own crisis. When he arrives at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, he experiences the suffering refugees have long endured by facing food insecurity and a lack of jobs, schools and basic necessities.  Through his tragedy, he finds his calling to improve the welfare of refugees by co-founding Ubuntu Nation, a project providing education, healthcare, housing, and nutrition to marginalized communities. The project is inspired by the Ubuntu philosophy, “I am because we are,” embracing our shared humanity and interdependence.

Panelists

Annette King

Annette King is CEO and Executive Producer at Splicer Films. She founded the production company to tell impactful stories that inspire audiences to create a better world. King has built a multinational team of talent collaborating on stories with purpose that evoke empathy, shift narratives and spotlight underrepresented cultures and subjects. With her extensive expertise in film production and direction, King has contributed to the creation of numerous documentary films. 

One notable example is Finding Ubuntu, a documentary profiling a Congolese refugee, Maick Mutej, who emerges as a human rights advocate for displaced people while in the midst of his own crisis. The film’s themes of resilience, leadership, empathy, and the Ubuntu philosophy (humanity toward others) are highlighted in King’s educational and uplifting talks.

King also produced and co-directed the documentary short  Fear Not. This film delves into the inspiring story of Evelyne Keomian, a grassroots changemaker determined to break the cycle of poverty through education in her communities, both in Ivory Coast and Silicon Valley.

King presented at the Cannes Marché du Film UNHCR Refugee Voices Roundtable to spotlight positive refugee stories and outcomes. Her recent production is A Divine Journey, a documentary short profiling a 19-year-old refugee leading social causes to address human rights issues in her community. 

As a Latina film producer, King aims to inspire the next generation of leaders by telling impactful stories spotlighting women leaders and culturally diverse change makers. Her production company focuses on purpose-driven films that employ journalistic principles to objectively document character-driven stories to inform and open hearts and minds.

King provides motivational and informative talks for educational institutions, civic organizations, and corporate leadership conferences. King holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. She has over 25 years of experience in business development, social entrepreneurship, and startups.She is a member of the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA), National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), Women in Film and Video (WIFV), Global Impact Producers Alliance (GIPA), and Sundance Collab.

Leo Zulu

Director of the African Studies Center and Associate Professor at Michigan State University, Leo Zulu specializes in human geography, natural resource management, environmental governance, solid biomass energy, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods, land use change, climate change adaptation, and health geography, focusing on southern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. With over 30 years of international experience, he integrates interdisciplinary approaches to address complex environmental, social, economic, and health issues within a sustainable development context. Dr. Zulu is dedicated to policy enhancement through evidence-based research, collaborating with national governments and international agencies on climate adaptation. His recent work includes publications on forest landscape restoration, gender and youth inclusion in sustainable agriculture, land-change dynamics, and the book Africa in the Post-2015 Development Agenda: A Geographical Perspective.

Vadu Rodrigues

An installation artist who uses photography, videography accompanied by cultural objects such as fishing nets and tools. As an African artist-activist, they create art that contributes positively to redefining the representation of the narratives of the African continent and Black diaspora. Through their ongoing project #PositiveAfrica, they use art as a way to transform the world. Rodrigues is from Praia, Cabo Verde his undergraduate degree is in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Madeira in Portugal and is completing an MFA in Studio Art at MSU.

Anjam Chaudhary

Dr. Anjam Chaudhary is the Global DEI Program Director at the Office of International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University (MSU). She leads transformative programs particularly in inclusive leadership, intercultural awareness, and cross-cultural communication. She brings a wealth of experience in fostering inclusive practices across a diverse community of students, staff, and faculty on a global scale.

Dr. Chaudhary actively engages in discussions on global DEI on local, national, and international platforms. She also shares her expertise through research contributions, conference presentations, and consulting projects focused on global DEI and intercultural communication. In her secondary roles, she leads the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program and serves as the Co-Academic Director for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program.

In addition to her roles at MSU, Dr. Chaudhary holds the position of Network Leader, curriculum internationalization, and intercultural training at NAFSA. Committed to expanding her impact beyond higher education, she co-founded 3KIND Perspective LLC, a consulting agency providing guidance in practice and policy-making, along with delivering professional development in DEI and intercultural communication.