Need inspiration? Meet visionaries Angie Thomas and Rita Brent at Jackson fundraiser

Two Jackson powerhouses will be raising the roof and uplifting spirits Thursday during a fundraiser for the Women's Foundation of Mississippi.

Angie Thomas and Rita Brent will be talking to guests and answering questions during the event which focuses on "goal-setting, change-making and creating new possibilities for Mississippi women," event organizers said.

The Visionaries event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, 222 North St., Jackson. Tickets are $75, available at bit.ly/Visionaries2023.

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Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas penned the New York Times' bestselling novels "The Hate U Give" and "On the Come Up," both of which are memorialized in film. Her latest book "Concrete Rose" is a prequel to "The Hate U Give." She also co-authored the young adult novel "Blackout."

Her books explore such topics as police brutality and issues involving women and minorities.

“I had a lot of people who read 'The Hate U Give' say that it helped them look at the real-life issues addressed in that book in a different light,” Thomas said in a news release. “That’s the power of fiction — it can make the real world better to understand.”

Thomas earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at Belhaven College, where a scholarship was established in her name to help other young aspiring writers. Applications for this year's scholarship will be accepted through March 10. The full-ride scholarship provides tuition, room and board at Belhaven for four years. For scholarship and application information, visit gobelhaven.com/angie.

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Rita Brent

Comedian and musician Rita Brent has been featured on a number of comedy shows including "Hart of the City," "Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks" and "Unprotected Sets."

She has recorded a number of songs, including singles: “Kamala,” “Raised in the Sipp” and “I Deserve to Be Alive.”

She is an Army National Guard veteran who graduated from Jackson State University with a bachelor's degree in mass and speech communication.

According to her website, Brent tours as a featured act with her mentors, Rickey Smiley and Cedric the Entertainer.

She wrote for the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards and works as a staff writer for Comedy Central's "Tha God's Honest Truth With Lenard 'Charlamagne' McKelvey."

Women's Foundation of Mississippi

The Women's Foundation of Mississippi is a grantmaker that focuses solely on women and girls. It works to create new opportunities and celebrate the achievements of Mississippi women.

The organization's mission is to ensure economic security for women by supportiung access to education and career opportunities, women’s health and two-generation approaches through grant-making, advocacy, training programs, research and community education and engagement.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Angie Thomas, Rita Brent featured guests at Jackson fundraiser