Chesapeake woman's mother featured in ONFilm documentary

NORFOLK

Marie-Pierre Myrick thinks an important part of her mother’s story is about being involved in your community, no matter where it is.

Myrick, who lives in Chesapeake, spoke about her mother, Annette Mbaye d’Erneville, during an interview today before the showing of a film about her mother. The film, Mere-bi (Mother of All), is being shown as part of Old Dominion University’s ONFilm Festival.

Mbaye d’Erneville, 82, is an activist involved in women’s rights in Senegal. She also was a radio broadcaster, started magazines, and was the first  person from the western African nation to earn a degree in journalism.

The phrase “Mere-bi” has become her mother’s nickname, Myrick said.

“She belongs to everyone,” she said.

The movie about Mbaye d’Erneville’s career was written, directed and produced by her son, Ousmane W. Mbaye. He began shooting the movie more than 15 years ago.

An important message in the movie, Myrick said: “Being involved in the life of your country.”

Mbaye d’Erneville began broadcasting in the early 1950s while living with her husband in France, sending the broadcasts to African radio stations.

After returning to Senegal in 1957 she worked as a radio broadcaster and journalist. She also taught, wrote poetry and children’s books and created a women’s museum in 1994.

“She liked to say that your first husband is your job,” Myrick said.

In the movie, Mbaye d’Erneville talks about her childhood, education, journalism, women’s rights and her family.

The 55-minute film will be shown at 5 p.m. in the Mills Godwin Life Sciences Auditorium. It will be followed by a panel.

For more details, return to PilotOnline.com later and read tomorrow's Virginian-Pilot.