Maya Angelu

Dr. Maya Angelou has worn many hats.

The renowned poet, actress, educator, and civil rights activist was in town Saturday for the 8th Annual UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon at the Westin Charlotte.

The theme of the annual event -- women wearing their favorite ornate, oversized hat -- honors female leaders in the community. It also raises money for minority scholarships, with proceeds benefiting five North Carolina schools: Johnson C. Smith University, Bennett College, Shaw University, Livingstone College and St. Augustine's College.

Angelou, 82, dressed in a lime green dress and jacket with a beautiful wide-rimmed, multi-colored hat, imparted wisdom on the audience.

She said she loves the fact that people come together each year to support the charity. In future years, she said, she hopes to see more diversity in the crowd of mostly African-American women.

"We are more alike than we are unlike" she said as she sat in a chair on stage addressing the crowd of more than 700 people.

She joked that in the future she would like to see a Spanish-speaking man in a sombrero or a French man in a beret.

Angelou said people are at our healthiest when they are encouraging, supporting, loving and generous.

Grammy-award winning singer Jennifer Holliday was in attendance, and retired educator Daisy Spears Stroud received the Maya Angelou/Elizabeth Ross Dargan Lifetime Achievement Award.

Also honored were Cynthia Marshall, president of AT&T North Carolina; Astrid Chirinos, president and creative strategist for Diverso Strategies; and Tammi Simmons, senior vice president, director of philanthropy for eastern Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company.

It was a great joy to hear Angelou speak, and at times her wittiness reminded me of my grandmother.

As I was about to bend down to take a picture with her, Angelou, who was sitting, stopped me.

"Stand up straight,” she said. “Never stoop. Only bend to God. Always remember that, Ms. Becoats."

Yes, Ma'am.

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