6th Annual EDD Summit

Presented by join us on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at CPCC's Parr Center & Atrium for a culturally resonant, transformative clinical and culinary reach, teach and taste experience!

For less than the price of a weekday lunch, our Eat, Drink and Disrupt (EDD) Summit gives you a 1/2 day of lifesaving presentations from leading BIPOC physicians and wellness equity experts, nearly 16 ounces of delectable 100% whole food, plant-based (WFPB) from Island, Inspired and Soulful vegan tasting stations, healthful SWAG, extraordinary, hand-selected BIPOC vendors and evidence-based wellness resources from and more!

Taking place at Central Piedmont Community College, prepare to be uplifted and inspired by 2 Reverse-It Presentations from renowned, a double-board certified physicians, a wellness equity panel discussion led by a renowned wellness transformation leader, a talented demo chef, a select pool of brilliant entrepreneur-vendors all while in the company of like-minded people equally curious about tasting and learning about the power and accessibility of the optimal wellness through lifestyle change.

FEATURED TASTING STATIONS: RAW STATION, SOULFUL STATION AND ISLAND STATION

Whether you're battling chronic disease, shouldering the effects of the financial inequity divide, want to learn more about wealth management solutions, get a jump on your holiday gift and services shopping or just want to hang out and indulge in our themed healthy vegan tasting stations; EDD Summit is the right place for you!

Info: Atrium Doors & Vendors Open

Info: VENDORS & TASTING STATIONS TEMPORARILY CLOSE

Info: Welcome & Remarks

Housekeeping & 1st Presenter Introduction

Info: Dr. Columbus Batiste, MD, FACC

Dr. Batiste is a board-certified Interventional Cardiologist and national thought leader in health equity and lifestyle medicine. Known as “The Healthy Heart Doc,” he advocates for the transformative power of food and lifestyle in preventing and reversing chronic illness. As a co-founder of the Slave Food Project and Chief of Cardiology at Kaiser Permanente Riverside, Dr. Batiste brings decades of clinical leadership and culturally grounded advocacy to his work—making him one of the most compelling voices in community-centered wellness today.

Info: VENDOR MARKETPLACE BREAK & BOOK SIGNING w/COLUMBUS BATISTE, MD, FACC

Info: This bold panel explores how culturally grounded, whole food, plant-based lifestyle education can help disrupt intergenerational cycles of chronic illness. Join physicians, nutritionists, and community leaders as they unpack the systemic roots of wellness inequity and share tools for empowering the communities most impacted. From shifting health norms to activating grassroots change, this conversation will challenge assumptions and inspire action.

Info: Book Signing w/Harold LeFall & Columbus Batiste, Vendors Taste & Hydrate Stations Re-Open, Giveaways, Vendors & Tasting Stations-Final Close (2:20PM)

Info: Dr. Mills is a Stanford-trained physician specializing in Internal and Critical Care Medicine. He is the Associate Director of Preventive Medicine at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and serves on the Board of Directors for Plant‑Based Prevention of Disease

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A sought-after international speaker, Dr. Mills has lectured across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, and the UK, and has been featured in major media, including Netflix's What the Health

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In his presentation, Dr. Mills will draw on leading research and real-world clinical insights to explore how whole food, plant-based nutrition can arrest and reverse chronic kidney disease. He will unpack the impact of social determinants of health, share powerful case studies, and offer practical strategies for empowering high-risk communities to reclaim kidney wellness through nutrition and lifestyle change.

Info: Closing Remarks: Dawn Hilton Williams

Board Chairs Jil Littlejohn Bostick & Colletta Bryce

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