Legendary writer and activist Maya Angelou will be the featured speaker at the Chicago Foundation for Women's 24th annual luncheon Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
The event "celebrates the achievements of women and girls by bringing together a diverse audience of more than 2,000 guests who represent business, philanthropy, government, nonprofit, media and other Foundation supporters," the organization stated.
Only tables and sponsorships are available, and individual tickets will only go on sale if tables do not sell out. E-mail or call Mariah Pearl Cunnick at mcunnick@cfw.org or 312-577-2827.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that Angelou has been lobbying for same-sex marriage in New York state, calling three state senators to ask them to change their mind on gay marriage.
"I would ask every man and every woman who's had the blessing of having children, 'Would you deny your son or your daughter the ecstasy of finding someone to love?'" she told The Times. "To love someone takes a lot of courage. So how much more is one challenged when the love is of the same sex and the laws say, 'I forbid you from loving this person'?" Angelou told the Times she believed society made gay relationships hard enough, without the additional problem of not allowing them to be legal.
Empire State Pride Agenda helped arrange for Angelou's participation, along with lesbian actor Cynthia Nixon ( Sex and the City ) and former pro football commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who has a gay son.
See www.cfw.org .
WIN TICKETS! Windy City Media Group is running a contest thru July 15, 2009, with two ways to win a pair of tickets to see Maya Angelou in Chicago. One pair will be drawn from our weekly Windy City Media Group email subscriber list, enter the free list by emailing: Click2Win@windycitymediagroup.com . Or, join our WCMG Facebook fan page by July 15, and we will draw a winner from that list of names: www.facebook.com/pages/Windy-City-Media-Group/40409828544