Jennifer Erie, Author of The World In My Bones: The Diplomat Queens Made
A former USAID diplomat shares a deeply personal story of loss, resilience, reinvention, and a life shaped by global service across continents.
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, April 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Author, former USAID diplomat, and cultural curator Jennifer Erie announces the release of her debut memoir, The World in My Bones: The Diplomat Queens Made, a deeply personal and globally resonant story that traces her journey across continents, careers, and identity.
Blending the worlds of international development, diaspora culture, and personal storytelling, Erie’s memoir offers readers an intimate look at a life shaped by service, movement, and resilience. From her early days as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa to her leadership roles with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) across Africa and Southeast Asia, Erie brings readers inside the realities of global health work, diplomacy, caregiving and the emotional weight carried behind the scenes.
The release comes at a pivotal moment in Erie’s life. Last year, in the span of a single week, she was let go from her role at USAID amid sweeping federal workforce changes under the Trump Administration, while also navigating the profound personal loss of her mother due to dementia and the wreckage of a significant earthquake in Thailand. These experiences deepen the emotional resonance of the memoir, underscoring its themes of grief, identity, resilience and reinvention.
At its core, The World in My Bones is more than a professional journey. It is a story of becoming. Erie reflects on navigating loss, cultural identity, and the invisible threads that connect her Haitian heritage, global experiences, and creative passions. The memoir also explores the power of storytelling as a tool for healing, connection, and legacy.
“What Jen does in her book is something far braver and more searching than a career retrospective. What struck me first is the vulnerability. Jen chooses honesty. She lets you see the full cost of a life lived in service…not as a complaint, but as an honest accounting,” said Shannon Young, a longtime colleague.
“I wrote this book to honor the journey. Every place, every lesson, every version of myself that got me here,” said Erie. “It’s about what we carry in our bones: our histories, our struggles, our triumphs. And how we turn those into something meaningful for ourselves and others.”
In the book’s foreword, Ambassador (ret.) Harry K. Thomas, Jr. writes:
“In Jennifer’s journey, I see the echo of my own: two Queens kids, raised in working-class neighborhoods—St. Albans for me, Laurelton and Hollis for her—where the dreams of diplomacy once felt worlds away. Statistically, the odds were against us, but history favors those who persist. Jennifer has consistently shown the courage to enter spaces not built for her and to help expand them for those who come after.”
Since its release on February 14, 2026, the book has gained traction across communities in the United States and internationally, resonating with readers in South Africa, Tanzania, South Sudan, Canada, and the Philippines. Erie has surpassed early sales milestones and is currently on a multi-city book tour, with speaking engagements, book talks, and community salons throughout the Washington, D.C. area and beyond.
In addition to her work as an author, Erie is the founder of Fête Jen Global, a platform that bridges travel, arts, culture, and social impact. She also serves as a board member of the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience and as Managing Editor of the Words Beats & Life Global Journal of Hip-Hop Culture, reflecting her ongoing commitment to storytelling as both practice and purpose.
The World in My Bones: The Diplomat Queens Made is available now:
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Book Details:
Title: The World in My Bones: The Diplomat Queens Made
Author: Jennifer Erie
Publication Date: February 14, 2026
Formats: eBook, Paperback, Hardcover
About the Author:
Jennifer Erie is a former U.S. diplomat with over 15 years of experience at USAID, where she led programs focused on global health, gender-based violence prevention, and youth empowerment across Africa and Asia. A Peace Corps alumna, creative producer, and cultural storyteller, she is the founder of Fête Jen Global and an advocate for using the arts as a vehicle for connection and impact. The World in My Bones is her debut memoir.
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