Iva E. Carruthers, PhD

Justice Advocate | Educator | Author | Consultant

A woman with shoulder-length gray dreadlocks, smiling, wearing colorful beaded jewelry including a necklace and earrings, holding her hand to her chest, against a light purple background.

Reverend Dr. Iva Carruthers

Portrait of an older African American woman wearing a colorful headwrap and a traditional yellow and blue garment, smiling.

Nana Aba Bentuma I

A group of people, including an elderly woman dressed in traditional African clothing and accessories, gathered outdoors during a celebration or gathering.
An elderly man wearing traditional African attire and jewelry is singing into a microphone, while an elderly woman in colorful African clothing and headwrap looks at him with a smile, surrounded by others at a cultural event.
Group of women dressed in colorful traditional African attire, sitting together outdoors at what appears to be a cultural celebration or gathering.

Future Ready

After serving twenty-one years as the General Secretary for the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Incorporated, Dr. Iva E. Carruthers continues her legacy as General Secretary Emerita.

Amid many commitments and requests for her energy, Dr. Carruthers will maintain her seminary teaching schedule and social justice advocacy, including holding truth-telling commissions around the country.

Enstooled as Queen Mother of Development in Cape Coast, Ghana, by Oguaamenhen Osabarimba Dr. Kwesi Atta II, in ceremonies and rituals in 2025, Nana Aba Bentuma I is excitedly working with partners to foster relationships and build strong collaborative enterprises in Cape Coast.

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The Circle Will NEVER Be Broken

  • Group of people gathering outside a building holding photos of a man in a suit. Some are wearing traditional African clothing and accessories. The group appears to be celebrating or commemorating, with a central decorative shield and a portrait of the same man held by two individuals.

    Spotlight

    Looking ahead and using the power of foresight for future-readiness

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  • Three women dressed in colorful traditional African clothing stand in front of flags and a display of books and photographs. They are smiling and standing indoors.

    Vision Keepers

    Resist. Return. Reunite

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  • Two people holding a framed portrait of a man. The woman on the left is wearing a patterned white and yellow dress with African-inspired accessories and a black sash that says 'AFRICA.' The man on the right is dressed in a black shirt with embroidered details, glasses, and beads on his wrist and head. They are indoors with tribal art and a lighthouse mural in the background.

    Connecting the Dots

    Planting Pan-African seeds of memory and heritage

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Engagement Opportunities

  • An elderly woman and a young girl wearing traditional African clothing at an outdoor event, smiling and posing for the camera.

    Nana's Corner

    Everybody Needs a Nana

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  • A group of women gathered outdoors, some with serious or attentive expressions, in front of a modern building with trees and greenery around.

    Coast to Coast

    Creating sustainable ways forward

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  • A monument with a stone archway and busts of African figures, located by the sea under a blue sky, with inscriptions honoring African heritage and history.

    Claim Your Legacy

    We Rise and We Return

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