WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, part of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, will benefit from a private fundraiser called “Cocktails and Conversations,” hosted by Neiman Marcus of Charlotte. Maya Angelou will be the featured guest of the event, which will be held in Charlotte on Thursday, July 16.

Angelou is an internationally renowned poet, author, civil-rights activist and Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. Also attending the event will be John D. McConnell, M.D., the first chief executive officer of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

“We are very excited about this event and are appreciative to Dr. Angelou for attending and expressing her thoughts about health equity,” said Ronny Bell, Ph.D., M.S., director of the Angelou Center. “The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about health equity and to highlight and support research focused in this area.”

The Angelou Center recognizes the need for efforts to attain equity in health and health care for all people. The Center aims to achieve this goal through its three program areas: research, community outreach, and faculty and student development.