Socialite, activist Joanne Herring to discuss memoir at Rice University’s Baker Institute Nov. 29

11/15/2011

Franz Brotzen
713-348-6775
franz.brotzen@rice.edu

Joanne King Herring, the Houston socialite and political activist portrayed by Julia Roberts in the film “Charlie Wilson’s War,” will talk about her recently published personal memoir, “Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield,” Nov. 29 at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

Who: Joanne King Herring, Houston socialite, political activist and businesswoman.

What: Lecture on “Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield.” A book signing will follow.

When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Where: Rice University, Baker Hall’s Kelly International Conference Facility, 6100 Main St.

Herring is known to many from “Charlie Wilson’s War,” a movie about her efforts in the 1980s with then-Congressman Charlie Wilson to aid the Afghans fighting the Soviet Union. In 2009 Herring founded the Marshall Plan Charities, which unites the efforts of various NGOs concerned with the Afghan people in hopes of providing villages with clean water, food, health care, schools and jobs.

The event is by invitation only but open to members of the news media. It will be webcast at http://bakerinstitute.org/events/diplomacy-and-diamonds-my-wars-from-the-ballroom-to-the-battlefield.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Franz Brotzen at franz.brotzen@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.