A Story We Can’t “Make Up”
Carliene Quist, Girls & Youth Program Manager, arrived in Milwaukee for the October 2023 Women’s Convention with a suitcase and her work laptop. She returned home to Minneapolis with a truckload of donations for participants in Girls & Youth programs!
It started out with an invitation from YWCA USA, which funded one YWCA Minneapolis staff to attend the convention, which the Women’s March organization organizes. This has special significance for Carliene, as she joined hundreds of people for the Minneapolis Women’s March event in conjunction with the historic January 2017 Women’s March on Washington.
Convention-goers anticipated gaining tools, making connections and “experiencing the feminist future we want to live in.” Carliene approached every aspect of the convention with youth at the center - asking herself, “What can I learn, do and experience here so I can readily bring back to Girls & Youth programming in Minneapolis?” This focus, in conjunction with her tenacious curiosity, led to something remarkable.
By the middle of day two, Carliene observed the many “goodie bags'' still stacked up in the registration area - canvas bags stuffed with feminist buttons, activist stickers, and several cosmetics products by Revolution Beauty. Carliene decided to activate one of the mottos she lives by - “Always Ask!” - by inquiring about potential leftovers. This question led her from an event volunteer to an event staff member to another staff member… until, eventually, Carliene found herself talking to the CFO of the Women’s March, who was in charge of convention merch.
Within a few hours, Carliene received the go-ahead to pick up two boxes of “goodie bag” leftovers once the convention officially concluded the following day. Two boxes of buttons, stickers, journals and makeup items were collected from leftover goodie bags.
But wait, she was told by another Women’s March staff member: there’s more. More makeup. A lot more makeup. Boxes and boxes of unopened cosmetics — eye shadow palettes, lip gloss, primer, eyeliner, brushes — all products Carliene envisioned distributing to Girls & Youth.
So Carliene made a bold ask with a promise: may I fill my pickup truck with as many boxes of makeup that can fit — promising that every item will be in the hands of youth by the end of the year? Tabitha of Women’s March texted the rep at the makeup company, asking if this is an acceptable arrangement for thousands of makeup products not used during the convention. “YES! Please,” Tabitha urged as we stacked heavy boxes onto a flatbed to take to the vehicle. “These cannot just go to storage somewhere. Promise me that all of this will go to people.”
Just weeks after returning home, makeup was already in the hands of nearly 80 youth in our Girls & Youth programs - including Girls Inc. Eureka!, Girls RAP (Resolution and Prevention), and Contact Plus. The surprise makeup haul left the youth crazy excited, giddy and grateful.
Makeup supplies are also destined for our YWCA Beacons Learning Center at South High School. At the request of students, Beacons will launch an after-school cosmetology group in the Spring of 2024.
A huge thank you to Carliene for activating your “Always Ask!” motto on behalf of our Girls & Youth participants. A special shout-out to the Women’s March organization staff and Revolution Beauty for their generous donation!