Bee: Writer, Speaker

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Bee Bloeser with her late husband Carl

Bee Bloeser had a childhood dream of living in a jungle hut in Africa. Her grown-up reality? In addition to the many things she still loves about Africa, she encountered tribal pogroms, Cold War tensions and a bloodthirsty dictator. Her six years in the Arabian desert were tame by comparison.

Sensitive to social injustice, poverty and violence she recorded details and asked questions. The answers made possible her forthcoming historical memoir, VACCINES & BAYONETS: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War.

Bee has spent time with a princess behind the mud walls of a medieval palace harem and lived on an equatorial island where the president burned all the boats to prevent escape.

These adventures, in addition to years with Native American communities, came as she followed her late husband in his work to fight disease, end pandemics, and consign smallpox to the history books.

After her own career as a speech-language pathologist, Bee turned to writing and public speaking about her experiences in Africa. She is a member of the United Nations Association, USAID Alumni Association, P.E.O., Toastmasters International, and multiple writers’ groups.

Writer:

  • Award-winning author with the Society of Southwestern Authors
  • Semi-Finalist in the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards Competition.

Version 2Author of forthcoming historical memoir, working title VACCINES & BAYONETS: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War.

Right here. You can glimpse the humor and horror of a true story that few have ever heard as you explore the pages of this website. And you may discover that VACCINES & BAYONETS reverberates in today’s news. Read excerpts.  Read my articles.

Be the first to know of progress toward publication of the book, working title Vaccines & Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War. Stay connected.

Speaker:

B.A. in theatre; M.A. in speech pathology

Taught nurses, teachers and parents.

Performed in plays, interpretive readings and women’s barbershop quartets.

Available to speak on a variety of topics related to her experiences in West Africa, tailored for your specific group:

  • Geo-political intrigue and shattering of innocence abroad
  • “Independence was supposed to be better than this.”
  • One family’s role in the Smallpox Eradication Program
  • Barriers to girls’ education in northern Nigeria
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” Bee is an engaging knowledgeable speaker who supplements her presentations with photographs and personal experiences that will move you deeply while educating you about the incredible journey that led to the eradication of Small pox. I highly recommend her to your group.” Linda Herzog, J.D.

Contact Bee to book a presentation for your group, or just to connect.