Denise Alvarado
author, Artist, and Rootworker in Arizona
Denise Alvarado is a New Orleans born, native Creole raised in the unique culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has studied indigenous healing traditions from a personal and academic perspective for over five decades. An independent researcher, Denise is a member of the American Anthropological Association, the Association of Indigenous Anthropologists, and the Association of Latina/o & Latinx Anthropologists. She is the author of over twenty books that focus on folk magic traditions of the American South, including The Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire, The Magic of Marie Laveau, Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits and Hoodoo Saints,and Denise M. Alvarado's Anthology of Conjure.
Denise's activities include cultural and spiritual consulting, assessment, & training for individuals and organizations. She is regularly consulted by film makers and production companies about New Orleans Voodoo and Hoodoo and southern folk magic traditions. She has consulted with Scotland Yard on the issue of African Ju Ju and human trafficking, the History Channel on New Orleans Voodoo and with the production company for the Sci-Fi channel Raw TV on paranormal phenomenon. Her artwork has appeared on National Geographic's Taboo, Blue Bloods, the Originals and the Vampire Diaries.
Denise was the recipient of Walden University's Fellowship in Research and Applications for Social Change, 2008-2009 with her research The Native American Wellness Scale (NAWS): The Development of an Intertribal Quality of Life Measure for Native American and Indigenous Populations. She developed the first culturally appropriate quality-of-life instrument for use among Native American populations.
Denise lives the life she writes about and researches, giving her a unique participant observation perspective to her work.