The BOOKED Trips Maya Angelou Travel Scholarship

The Maya Angelou Travel Scholarship for Women of Color

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP

Inspired by the life and work of the iconic Maya Angelou, this scholarship honors women of color who embody her spirit of exploration, creativity, and social justice. Like Angelou, who traveled the world, drawing inspiration from various cultures to fuel her art and activism, we seek to empower women to embark on transformative journeys of discovery.

Maya Angelou was a renowned singer, dancer, poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Angelou’s work took her around the world including Egypt, Ghana, and various countries in Europe. From 1954 to 1955, Angelou toured Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess and became active in the Civil Rights Movement serving as the northern coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference under Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1961, Angelou moved to Cairo, Egypt where she wrote for the weekly newspaper, “The Arab Observer”, then to Ghana, where she taught at the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama and worked as a feature editor for “The African Review”. Angelou returned to the United States in 1964 to help Malcolm X build the Organization of African American Unity and went on to write seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years.

Just as Angelou drew inspiration from her travels to fuel her writing and artistry, we believe that BOOKED Trips’ book-inspired journeys can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. By exploring destinations through the lens of literature, recipients of this scholarship can deepen their understanding of the world, connect with diverse cultures, and ignite their creativity. 

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION & AMOUNTS

Thanks to a sponsorship provided by Melissa Jones, a generous donor, huge supporter of BOOKED Trips, and avid reader two travelers will receive scholarships up to $5,000 toward one of the following 2025 BOOKED Trips experiences of their choosing:

The scholarship application can be found here. The application period is February 3-March 3, 2025. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of readers and selected applicants will be notified by email.

SCHOLARSHIP TIMELINE AND DEADLINES

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Applications are open to women of the global majority regardless of geographic location.
  • Applicants must be women 21 years of age or older at the time of application.
  • Applicants must have a clear understanding of and demonstrated interest in BOOKED Trips focus on book-inspired travel that fosters connection, community, and global awareness.
  • Applicants must clearly demonstrate a connection to Maya Angelou’s values of creativity, social justice, and exploration. This could be through personal anecdotes, creative projects, or involvement in social justice work.
  • Applicants must clearly explain how this scholarship would significantly impact their ability to travel and experience a BOOKED Trips journey.
  • Applicants must be able to travel in 2025. Scholarship funds cannot be rolled over to future years or used retroactively.

SCHOLARSHIP INCLUSIONS

Scholarships can be used for the following BOOKED Trips experiences:

  • Accra, Ghana: October 9-17, 2025 | Reading: “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi
  • Marrakesh, Fes, and the Sahara Desert Morocco: November 1-10, 2025 | Reading “Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood” by Fatima Mernissi
  • Cartagena, Colombia: December 4-8, 2025 | Reading “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel García Márquez

Each trip includes:

  • A BOOKED Box with the selected trip read, a trip playlist with sounds of the city, and curated items from small businesses and local artisans from around the world.
  • All book-inspired trip activities led by local guides, experts, and creatives as listed in the selected itinerary.
  • Single occupancy hotel room in 4-star or above hotel accommodations.
  • Roundtrip airport transportation on designated trip dates.
  • Some meals including all breakfasts, an opening and closing dinner, and other meals as listed on the trip itinerary.

SCHOLARSHIP EXCLUSIONS

  • International airfare
  • Additional hotel room nights
  • Visas (if required)
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Souvenirs and other incidentals
  • Any trip costs beyond the scholarship amount. We estimate that trip prices will range between $3,400-$6,500 depending on the selected trip.

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION SESSION RECORDING

A scholarship information session was hosted on Thursday, January 30th. A recording of the webinar can be found here.

 

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