The Tibet activist Dechen Wangdu is better known as the wife of Adam Yauch. She is the daughter of well-known and prominent Tibetan activists. She has been part of a couple of Tibetan’ campaigns and has done quite well for the cause by making it well known all over the world.
Her husband, Adam Yauch was an American rapper, bass player, and filmmaker. He was also part of the hip hop group Beastie Boys which he co-founded. Aside from, that he was also involved in a nonprofit Milarepa Fund that presented the Tibetan freedom concert series to raise awareness of Chinese control of Tibet.
Who is Dechen Wangdu?
Dechen Wangdu is the daughter of prominent Tibetan activists and she has also been quite active in the Students for a Free Tibet, the U.S Tibet committee, and also the Tibetan Women’s Association. The American-born activist had been committed to the Tibetan liberation from China.
Growing up, she saw how devoted and committed her parents were to the Tibetan struggle so which made her very active in the fight for the cause.
There is not much detail about her birthplace and early life, also details about her educational qualifications are hardly mentioned.
Dechen Wangdu’s age
As mentioned earlier, Wangdu has not shared so many details about herself so it would be hard to tell her age by merely looking at her pictures.
Dechen Wangdu’s career
Dechen Wangdu is well known as a scholar and has been invited to several conferences. One of her notable works is been featured in the 1998 documentary Free Tibet which was produced by her husband, Adam Yauch. She has also been applauded and credited as an art director for the To the 5 Boroughs album packaging. Her work was nominated for the Grammy Awards. The artist Matteo Pericoli was in charge of the drawing of Manhattan on the cover of To the 5 boroughs credited Wangdu for her impeccable editorial suggestions in his book, the city out my window.
Wangdu has also worked and contributed to Glamour magazine and Tibet freedom concert magazines. She is also the executive producer of the documentary ‘Beastie Boys Story’.
Net worth
Dechen Wangdu has worked as a producer and also other scholarly works which are the means she earns her income. Her estimated net worth has not been revealed yet but as for her husband, Celebrity Net Worth stated that he had a net worth of about 75 million. He earned his income through the various works he was involved in.
Here are 7 fascinating facts about Dechen Wangdu
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Dechen Wangdu was once denied a visa
Because of her involvement in activism, she was once denied a visa to travel to China for a UN World conference on women. It was held in Beijing in 1995.
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Wangdu met her husband at Harvard University in 1995
Adam Yauch was attending a speech by the Dalai Lama at Harvard University. He was there to make a donation to a group called Students for a Free Tibet. Wangdu on the other hand, was a representative of that same group so they two met for the first time.
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Dechen Wangdu and her husband were both Tibetan activists
After they got married in 1998. They both continued their fight in the struggle for the cause. They were both high profile partners in fighting for justice on behalf of Tibetan Buddhists:
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She lost her husband to cancer
Dechen Wangdu, unfortunately, lost her husband to parotid cancer. Yauch was diagnosed with a cancerous parotid gland and lymph. After he underwent surgery and radiation therapy he became a vegan because of his doctor’s recommendation. He passed on May 4, 2012, at the age of 47.
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The Brooklyn Heights Park was renamed in honor of her husband’s memory
After Yauch died, the Brooklyn heights park was renamed after him. It was changed to Adam Yauch Park.
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She has only one daughter
Before her husband died, Wangdu conceived and delivered a beautiful baby girl. Their daughter’s name is Tenzin Losel Yauch, she was born on September 30, 1998.
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Her husband’s will stated they both did not agree on the custody of their daughter
Yauch died and left his family his entire estate which was worth an estimated $6.4 million. In his will, he stated that he and his wife did not agree on who will raise their daughter in the case where they both die.
