By Darrel Wheeler
Sister Jean Colarusso, aka ‘Mama Africa’, the well-traveled philanthropist, has spent the
vast majority of her life crisscrossing the globe spreading her brand of love and concern for humanity and the less fortunate. As a co-founding member of the Friends of the Poor non-profit organization with her partner Dr. Anita Figueredo, they teamed up with the world-renowned Mother Teresa to fight injustice, starvation, and a cornucopia of other ills that plague the planet.
“She has done so much work in Africa walking through the often times dangerous jungles of Nigeria and going inside some of the most notorious prisons just to help people. However, she and her husband Dr. Calvin Colarosso have done a lot of very useful work for the Black community in Southeast San Diego,” friend Larry Price shared.
For example, they provided financial assistance to St. Stephen’s Church of God in Christ when it was under the leadership of Bishop George Dallas McKinney. She has assisted a very long list of others in our community 
who have ascended, including Larry Price’s non-profit organization NLOB, Price’s family, and plenty of others with Southeast SD ties who have been helped in their times of need.
Utilizing her global connections with highly-skilled attorneys, surgeons, engineers, builders, the clergy, and politicians, Sister Jean has had an enormous impact on the world.
Thanks to her unbreakable will, faith in God, courage, kindness, and priceless connections
she and her team of good people have been able to provide food, medicine, schools, shelters, clothing, aids-clinics, buildings of worship, and envelopes stuffed with cash for those in need.
“Sister Jean, my mentor, doesn’t seek recognition but I wanted to share her story and give my irreplaceable friend her “Roses” while she is still here and thank her for all the lives she has blessed and saved. She is outstanding!” said Price.
Her husband, the famous Doctor of Psychology, Calvin Colarusso, is also appreciated for his support. If anyone would like to know more about the amazing doctor, his literature can be found in the San Diego History Museum.
