Press Release, September 2008
“This is Rachel, one of the Grand Prize winners for The Suitcase Contest. It’s her first time in California.” I was the girl originally from Florida who had never been to California in 23 years despite her love for surfing and creative influence from West Coast artists. All I have to say now after having made the trip is, “It was about time!”
My Osiris Suitcase Contest adventure began in Fall 2007 in New York City, which is where I lived when I received the suitcase. Sent out to take photos in various locations including the Empire State Building, the subway, and on Broadway, a good friend of mine, Dawn Wonder, and I had our work cut out for us. The photo scavenger hunt took major time management, a couple hundred photos, and hours of editing, not to mention Dawn lying on the ground in the middle of Times Square to get the right shot (Thanks, Dawn!). Once I picked all the final shots and sent them to Osiris in the suitcase, all that was left was waiting for the announcement of the Grand Prize Winner.
In August 2008, I received the call from Kim Woo, Girls Marketing Coordinator. “Rachel, we picked two Grand Prize Winners this year and, YOU’RE one of them!” I was ecstatic. I was not only finally going to California, I was going to California with an entire line up of activities planned and paid for by Osiris. On September 7, 2008 at 6AM, I left the airport in Raleigh, NC – I currently reside in Durham, NC – and headed west.
