The Rowan County Democratic Party has announced that the guest speaker for its upcoming breakfast will be Tarik Woods. The potluck breakfast will be held on Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Democrat Headquarters, located at 1504 W. Innes St. in Salisbury.

Woods will speak on the topic “Making History: the Road to the Future.” The event is free for anyone to attend, although the Democratic Party encourages donations of $10.

Woods spoke as the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast in Salisbury on Jan. 15.

A Salisbury native and 2016 Salisbury High School graduate who currently lives and works in the Research Triangle, Tarik recently joined the staff at The Institute for Emerging Issues as a policy and program manager. IEI serves as a nonpartisan connector, bringing North Carolinians together across sectors, regions and perspectives to collaborate on finding solutions to the state’s emerging and critical policy issues. He works to conduct research and convene stakeholders at the intersection of economic development, health, education and the built and natural environments.

Prior to joining IEI, Tarik worked with the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership & Policy as an associate policy analyst. There, he conducted research and analysis on relevant policy areas and provided information for dissemination to legislators, educators, business leaders and other experts.

Tarik has been engaged with the local Democratic Party since 2012 while he was a student at Salisbury High. He attended UNC Chapel Hill where he studied economics and philosophy. He enjoys playing the cello in a local orchestra, cheering for the Tar Heels and his dog Earl.