The Women of Color Conference has always been more than just a platform for networking and professional development—it’s a beacon of empowerment, community building, and giving back.
In collaboration with Career Communications Group, the 29th annual Women of Color Conference has announced a unique initiative: The Great Bag Giveaway. This initiative encourages attendees to bring an old piece of luggage they no longer use and donate it to someone in need.
The Great Bag Giveaway aims to transform something as ordinary as luggage into a symbol of dignity, support, and hope for those facing difficult circumstances.
How It Works
Conference attendees are encouraged to bring an old piece of luggage they no longer need—anything from backpacks to suitcases—and drop it off at designated collection points during the conference.
The initiative is being piloted this year in Detroit, with the aim of serving 100 families and children in need.
For Out-of-Town Attendees
Recognizing that many attendees will be traveling from out of town, special designated drop-off points will be set up at the conference hotels and convention center.
Out-of-town attendees can leave their donated luggage as they check out of their hotels or upon arrival at the convention center, making it convenient for everyone to contribute to this impactful campaign without needing to make extra stops or arrangements.
Donation Incentive
To encourage donations, every attendee who donates luggage will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a special prize. This adds a fun and rewarding element to the initiative while keeping the focus on helping those less fortunate.
Who Benefits?
The collected luggage will be donated to homeless shelters, foster homes, and community support centers. Many of the recipients will be children in foster care, college students who lack essential items, and families facing housing insecurities.
Through this program, they will receive something more than just a physical bag—they will receive the dignity of carrying their belongings in something other than a trash bag.
A Simple Step Toward Big Change
The Great Bag Giveaway may seem like a small step, but it represents a much larger movement—one that underscores the Women of Color Conference’s commitment to community empowerment and providing real solutions for real problems.
“It’s an easy solution to meet the needs of families and students, and it’s a win-win situation that we’re thrilled to implement,” said Tyrone Taborn, CEO of Career Communications Group, producer of the annual WOC STEM DTX Conference.
So, whether you’re flying in from across the country or driving in from the next state, remember to bring that old suitcase, bag, or backpack you no longer use. Together, we can turn something as simple as a piece of luggage into a powerful tool of support and dignity for someone in need.
Join the Movement: Take action
The Women of Color Conference invites all participants to help make a difference by contributing to The Great Bag Giveaway. Drop off your luggage at the designated points at the conference hotels or convention center, and together, we can provide essential support for families and children. By working together, we can pave the way for brighter futures for those who need it most.
Registration is open for the upcoming WOC STEM DTX, October 3-5, 2024. #wocstem https://t.co/FmWCqWyqIu
— Women of Color Magazine & Conference (@WOCTechnology) September 29, 2024
The Symbolism of Luggage: Lessons from Literature and History
Luggage has historically symbolized more than just a means of carrying belongings; it often reflects personal journeys, struggles, and socioeconomic standing. From literature to history, the role of luggage offers deep insights into the lives of individuals overcoming hardship.
In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, luggage plays a subtle but crucial role in reflecting the protagonist Holden Caulfield’s worldview. Holden criticizes the way society judges people based on their luggage, remarking on how people with expensive bags look down on those with cheaper, beat-up suitcases. His observations highlight the class divisions that exist, where material possessions—such as luggage—serve as markers of social status and privilege. This symbolic baggage adds to Holden’s feelings of alienation and resentment toward a materialistic society.
Similarly, luggage played an important role in the life of George Washington Carver. Carver famously arrived at college with little more than a beat-up satchel, symbolizing his humble beginnings and resilience in the face of adversity. That worn bag represented not just his poverty but his determination to pursue education and science against the odds. For Carver, the lack of material wealth never defined his success—his legacy was built on perseverance, ingenuity, and his contributions to agricultural science.
Booker T. Washington, in his autobiography Up From Slavery, recounts traveling to Hampton Institute with his meager belongings tied in a simple handkerchief, reflecting his struggle to rise from extreme poverty. Washington’s humble luggage is symbolic of the larger societal challenges that he overcame, rising from slavery to become one of the most influential Black educators in America.
From a woman’s perspective, Maya Angelou offers a poignant view of how luggage symbolizes both hardship and self-worth. In her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou describes traveling as a child between homes with nothing more than a small suitcase containing her few belongings. The suitcase, battered and worn, became a powerful metaphor for the emotional baggage she carried as a Black girl navigating a world filled with racism and abandonment. The condition of her luggage reflected not only her family's financial struggles but also the weight of societal challenges that shaped her identity.
Similarly, Zora Neale Hurston, a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, traveled with little more than the essentials in her quest for literary recognition. In Dust Tracks on a Road, Hurston often speaks of leaving her small town with minimal possessions, her luggage representing the transient life of a Black woman writer striving for success in a world that offered few opportunities for women of color. Her luggage was not just a bag of items but a symbol of the aspirations and dreams she carried on her journey of self-discovery and achievement.
These narratives from both men and women serve as powerful reminders that luggage, whether literal or symbolic, represents more than just physical belongings—it speaks to the journeys, obstacles, and aspirations of individuals.
