Join the celebration online or in person
(Oakland, CA – March 31, 2023) – The estate of Dr. Maya Angelou is set to celebrate the 95th birthday of the late icon’s impact. Beginning on April 4th, participants can join in-person and via virtual events throughout the year. 2023 also marks a major milestone for the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation, which has awarded more than $500,000 to deserving students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the country.
Dr. Angelou created The Annie and Willie Foundation in the early 2000s in honor of her grandmother and uncle and to highlight the importance of access to higher education for all people. Today, this organization has evolved into the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation, founded by the estate, to serve as the dynamic personification of her philanthropic legacy, educational excellence, and healthcare equity for all. In addition to awarding students scholarships to attend historically black colleges, the Foundation also strengthens student outcomes and literacy with writing-based curriculum through the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation Essay Writing Contest and by supporting healthcare and community-based initiatives bearing Dr. Angelou’s name.
To celebrate the Foundation’s major milestone and honor Dr. Angelou’s 95th, they invite you to join the annual “95 for 95” Giving Campaign. Your one-time gift of $95 or a monthly gift of any heartfelt amount ensures current programs will continue to make an impact for years to come.
To continue the celebration, Dr. Maya Angelou’s community of supporters will take to social media to share heartfelt words. Tributes will be available to read and watch on Maya Angelou’s official website starting April 4th.
With this year’s birthday theme of “Celebrate Angelou Courage,” fans and supporters are encouraged to share their story of “how Dr. Angelou encouraged them to use their voice” and post on social media by tagging Dr. Angelou on Facebook, Twitter, and or Instagram and use hashtags #CelebrateAngelou95 and #DrAngelou95.
Upcoming Events:
- Friday, March 31, 2023: Dr. Maya Angelou and her son, Mr. Guy Johnson, will be posthumously honored at the 2023 Legacy Awards by the Marcus Foster Education Institute.
- Sunday, April 2, 2023: Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will host the annual Maya Angelou Garden Party! Guests can sign up to perform, and all are welcome to celebrate in Bailey Park Sunday from 2-4 PM.
- Tuesday, April 4th, 2023: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will celebrate the Dr. Maya Angelou Day of Reading, declared by Mayor Allen Joines. Everyone is encouraged to participate on social media by sharing a memory or thought about Dr. Angelou’s influence across the world, doing a small act of kindness for someone, and encouraging others to do the same, all using #DRAngelouGift on social media.
For more information about this year’s celebration, sign up for the newsletter, follow Dr. Maya Angelou on social media, and visit mayaangelou.com.
###
Press Contact
Thamiah L. Tutt, MBA | President and CEO
Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation
3170 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 180
San Ramon, CA 94583
Office: 336.701.3209
Email: ttutt@drmayaangeloufdn.org
About The Foundation
President and CEO of the Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation, Ms. Tutt, states that the Foundation is “Guided by Dr. Maya Angelou’s vision of ‘…sharing in the glory of a good life, lived joyously’, our mission is to activate positive change and inspire the next generation of critical thinkers, creative writers, and courageous leaders through our innovative programs rooted in greater access to education, equality, and justice for all.” The Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation is the only public charitable nonprofit organization founded by the estate of Dr. Maya Angelou.
About Dr. Maya Angelou
Dr. Angelou was very prolific in the arts and created a wide range of work during her lifetime, taught and was an activist and singer. With more than 30 bestselling titles, Dr. Maya Angelou wrote 36 books, including 7 autobiographies and many poems, and created musical compositions, plays, screenplays, speeches, and appeared as an actress on film, and much more.
About CMG Worldwide
If you wish to use any of Dr. Maya Angelou’s literary works, musical works, photos, trademarks, quotes, artwork, video clips, film and television clips, or any other copyrighted works, please seek permission by contacting CMG Worldwide. A representative from CMG Worldwide, the exclusive licensing agent for Dr. Maya Angelou, will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
