Impact
Our Impact
The Dr. Maya Angelou Foundation fulfills its mission by awarding scholarships to deserving students to attend historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Dr. Angelou understood the importance of HBCUs as a key driver in building a strong middle class in America. To date, over 30 HBCUs have been awarded nearly $400,000 in scholarships to students. The Foundation remains honored to serve as a conduit to ensure that all students have access to institutions of academic excellence.
Academic Access
The Annie Henderson and Willie Johnson Scholarship Fund
The Annie Henderson and Willie Johnson Scholarship Fund is the flagship program of the Foundation. This annual scholarship awards two (2) two-year scholarships of $3,000 each per scholarship year to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). One award will go to a general student and the other scholarship will be awarded to a physically-challenged/mobility-impaired or re-entry student. The scholarship recipients must be progressing satisfactorily in order to qualify for the second year. GPA requirement is 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Health Care & Equity
The Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity (MACHE) supports the learning health care system in advancing health equity and population health research by aligning scientific discoveries with best practices.
As part of the Wake Forest Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), MACHE is designated as a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Center of Excellence with the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHHD). This prestigious designation positions us well to implement innovative approaches for improving population health. The center was founded in 2002 as a result of the collaborative efforts of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (WFBMC) administration, Dr. Angelou and other key individuals. We are honored that our center carries the name of one of America’s great poets, memoirists and civil right advocates. We strive to keep Dr. Angelou’s legacy alive through our work in health equity.
The Maya Angelou Women’s Health & Wellness Center
The Novant Health Maya Angelou Women's Health & Wellness Center has improved the quality of life in the community for more than a century by offering compassionate patient care, along with the latest medical innovations and knowledge. The idea of dedicating care specifically for women began 125 years ago in Winston, N.C., when a group of local women met to form the Ladies' Twin City Hospital Association, the forerunner of Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. In 2001, the Sara Lee Center for Women's Health was created at the medical center to provide leading-edge medical care for women in our community. Then on June 28, 2012, the center became larger and more comprehensive – with a new name.
The inspiration for the Novant Health Maya Angelou Center’s name and its focus on creating greater health and wellness among women came from Dr. Maya Angelou, who transcends generations and whose words and ideas resonate with women around the world.
“I’m convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere.”
— Dr. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou's Medal of Freedom Reflections
Phenomenal Woman
— Dr. Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.