faith, courage, purpose, destiny

There’s Mushroom (Much-Room) for You!

life-coaching-self-discovery| life-coach-career-transitions| Personal Development
November 01, 2025•2 min read

I’m deeply honored to share that I’ve been selected as a speaker for TEDx Detroit 2025!

On Wednesday, November 12, I’ll join an incredible lineup of Detroit’s thinkers, innovators, and changemakers to share ideas that inspire, challenge, and ignite transformation.

My talk — “There’s Mushroom for You: Growing in Unlikely Places” — represents The Mushroom Angel Co., Inc. and explores how the biology of mushrooms reflects the human experience. Like mushrooms, we often grow in hidden places, nourished by what others might overlook. Even in the dark, there’s life forming, growth happening, and purpose rising.

But this isn’t just my story — it’s our story.

When I step on that stage, I’ll be carrying the spirit of my family and my global community with me: the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Alliance for African Partnership, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan-Flint, and our incredible ecosystem of partners and supporters — from BasBlue, New lab, Michigan Central, Michigan Good Food Fund, Fair Food Network, Marygrove Conservancy, Black Tech Saturdays, Detroit Development Fund, Revolve Fund, Femology, Black Leaders of Detroit, Michigan Women Forward, Michigan State University Product Center, Michigan Food and Ag Business Development, Eastern Market Partnership, and so many others who believe in building together.

To my mentors, advisors, clients, and colleagues — thank you for being part of this journey. Every lesson, challenge, and moment of encouragement has led to this milestone.

This talk is a reflection of the truth that there’s always room to grow, even when the conditions aren’t perfect. It’s a celebration of resilience, faith, and the quiet work that happens in the unseen spaces.

So, this moment — this platform — is for you too.

Join me and a community of innovators downtown for a day of ideas worth spreading at TEDxDetroit.com.

#TEDxDetroit #TheresMushroomForYou #DetroitInnovation #FaithInAction #TheMushroomAngel #TheDigitalDiplomat #UMDearborn #UMFlint




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Explore My Amazon Storefront I’ve curated a collection of tools, reads, and resources that support a purpose-driven life—both personally and professionally. From books that shaped my consciousness to products that keep me organized and inspired, these are the same items I use to build, balance, and grow.

Click here to explore my Amazon storefront and discover what’s helping me live on purpose—so you can too.

TEDxDetroit 2025Growth in Unlikely PlacesNature-Inspired Leadership
W.E. Da’Cruz, widely known as The Digital Diplomat™, is a visionary global strategist, speaker, tech entrepreneur, and modern-day citizen diplomat whose work bridges commerce, culture, and consciousness. She equips entrepreneurs, policymakers, and mission-driven leaders to confidently operate across international markets with principled leadership, digital innovation, and global diplomacy. She is also the cofounder of The Virtual Global Consultant (VGC) Group, an award-winning IT firm recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce for its leadership in digital transformation. Through her consultancy, she has helped generate millions in revenue and donations for U.S. and African organizations using smart digital infrastructure. As a U.S. Embassy Speaker, her international influence has led her to speak and lead trainings around the world from Ethiopia to Ghana to South Africa to Mozambique, to Kuwait and beyond for high-level institutions, including the U.S. Department of State, U.S.-Africa Business Summit, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Appointed to multiple U.S. trade and diplomatic advisory committees, W.E. is also a 2023 U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Next Gen Leader and a tireless advocate for global entrepreneurship, food innovation, and inclusive economic development. She and her husband are cofounders of The Mushroom Angel Company, a Detroit-based mushroom-first food manufacturer with 120+ retail placements across the Midwest. She's currently completing his doctoral dissertation on non-market business strategy at the University of Michigan - Flint and is scheduled to graduate in Spring 2026. Rooted in faith, legacy, and the power of identity, W.E.'s life is a living movement—calling people to rise in authority, move with intention, and scale with strategy for lasting impact across generations.

Wendy Ekua (W.E.) Da'Cruz

W.E. Da’Cruz, widely known as The Digital Diplomat™, is a visionary global strategist, speaker, tech entrepreneur, and modern-day citizen diplomat whose work bridges commerce, culture, and consciousness. She equips entrepreneurs, policymakers, and mission-driven leaders to confidently operate across international markets with principled leadership, digital innovation, and global diplomacy. She is also the cofounder of The Virtual Global Consultant (VGC) Group, an award-winning IT firm recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce for its leadership in digital transformation. Through her consultancy, she has helped generate millions in revenue and donations for U.S. and African organizations using smart digital infrastructure. As a U.S. Embassy Speaker, her international influence has led her to speak and lead trainings around the world from Ethiopia to Ghana to South Africa to Mozambique, to Kuwait and beyond for high-level institutions, including the U.S. Department of State, U.S.-Africa Business Summit, and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Appointed to multiple U.S. trade and diplomatic advisory committees, W.E. is also a 2023 U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Next Gen Leader and a tireless advocate for global entrepreneurship, food innovation, and inclusive economic development. She and her husband are cofounders of The Mushroom Angel Company, a Detroit-based mushroom-first food manufacturer with 120+ retail placements across the Midwest. She's currently completing his doctoral dissertation on non-market business strategy at the University of Michigan - Flint and is scheduled to graduate in Spring 2026. Rooted in faith, legacy, and the power of identity, W.E.'s life is a living movement—calling people to rise in authority, move with intention, and scale with strategy for lasting impact across generations.

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