Nigerian native, Taofick Okoya, 43, was having a horrible time trying to find a doll for his niece. There was nothing that represented their color or culture, so in 2007, he created Queens of Africa. It's a doll line Nigerian girls could identify with. Queens of Africa has become so popular, it is now outselling Barbie in his country. [youtube id="-vwch0LLPks"] The doll … [Read more...]
Pretty Brown Girl Movement Teaches Young Girls Self-Confidence
Former Destiny's Child member, Kelly Rowland, recently revealed her past issues with her skin color during the 2013 Essence Black Women In Hollywood luncheon. She reportedly hadn't embraced her "chocolatiness" until a heart to heart with Beyonce's mother and her own. One Detroit mom witnessed her own daughter's suffering with issues surrounding their own self-image and decided … [Read more...]
HOW TO: Make Your Child’s Dolls Have “Natural” Hair
A parent can search high and low for dolls that have curly hair resembling their daughters' and still come up short. Now you can use this technique from our friends at Beads Braids and Beyond to achieve the look yourself. Kristl from How To Play With Barbies wrote a detailed tutorial on how to take little brown dolls hair from from bone straight (left) to tightly … [Read more...]
5 African-American Toy Companies You Should Know
If you've ever headed to your neighborhood toy store or even one of the big-box stores and been disappointed with the selection of dolls and toys that resemble your little one, know that you are not alone. The good folks at Atlanta Post posted a round-up of five African-American toy companies that are looking to fulfill a need in the marketplace. Check out one below, Uzuri … [Read more...]