The inaugural Purple Evening, held February 1st in Los Angeles, was both inspiring and informative. The event raised over $150,000 for WAM’s education and research initiatives. The highlight of the evening — generously underwritten by Nadine and Fred Rosen and sponsored by HBO — was WAM founder Maria Shriver’s informative and empowering conversation about brain health with Dr. Jill Goldstein, the Executive Director of the Women, Heart and Brain Global Initiative – a collaboration between Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Joshua Grill, Director of the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders at UC-Irvine. 

 
The evening featured brain-healthy food from Jennifer Naylor Catering, signature purple martinis, live music, a touching and warm introduction by Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, and a poignant musical performance by singer-songwriter Annie Bosko.
 
We want to extend our gratitude to celebrities and influencers who attended and lent their voices in support of our cause that evening, including Nancy Travis, Sean Hayes, Andie MacDowell, Maye Musk and our amazing co-chairs: Carl Bendix, Laurie & Bruce Berg, Nancy Parmet Cook & Jim Cook, Jordan Davis, Natalie Edmonds, Jill Grey, Stacey & Larry Kohl, Bridget Gless Keller & Paul Keller, Crystal & Rob Minkoff, Bernadette & Sugar Ray Leonard, Nadine & Fred Rosen, Judy Rosenberg, Susan Ursitti & Jon Sheinberg, Erin Mulcahy Stein, Kelly Wearstler & Brad Korzen and Lynn Williams. In addition to HBO, sponsors included City National Bank and Kensington Senior Living Communities. Generous in-kind donors included Craig’s, Erewhon, Flowers in Beverly Hills, The Little Market, Lulu’s, Olivela.com, Rivet Revolution and Sweet Laurel.