Growing up, I never really saw myself on TV, in the magazines, or the dolls that I played with, there was a lack of representation, at least the positive kind that did not succumb to black stereotypes. In the 1940s, Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted an experiment to assess the psychological effect systemic racism and segregation had on black children. In the experiment, black children were presented with one white doll and one black doll and asked to point to the one that looked like them. Many of the children refused to point towards the black doll, cried hysterically, or just ran out of the room in refusal. Afterward, they were asked to choose which doll they preferred, and 65% of the black children participating showed a preference toward the white doll. These children used positive characteristics when describing the white doll and negative characteristics toward the black doll. The ending results showed high numbers in self-hate and anti-black bias, which had been indoctrinated into the minds of black children for years. Black people are multifaceted people, but the most common representation the media shows are black people depicted as gangstas, prostitutes, drug dealers, slaves, deadbeat parents, and at best, an athlete. But even the athlete narrative pushes the idea that their measurement of worth is dependent on whether or not they can catch a ball. A strong sense of self is hard to have when you have no positive outlets to guide you.

Although there has been considerable improvement within the last decade, there is still a lack of positive black representation for children. Things like media and toys create meaning surrounding race and ethnicity and take part in guiding their understanding of their identity and culture. Black children need to grow up knowing living their lives based on those negative stereotypes is not the only option they have. A solution to this problem will be to create an avenue for positive black representation intended for black children. In order to achieve this, a doll set will be designed that features all shades of brown, body types, hair textures, and different outfits from casual to going out. Due to the diaspora, there are black children all over the world who don’t get the chance to feel seen or feel like they belong in different social settings. These dolls will also come with affirmation cards stating their names, some interesting facts about themselves, and a message that will empower young girls.

Little black girls will benefit from this product because they will finally see themselves in a positive light. The days of playing with dolls that don’t look like them will be over and they will be able to see themselves in a society where everything is geared towards whiteness. Black children will be able to stop thinking something is wrong with them when they don’t see themselves reflected in their toys, books, or the media. With this product, negative perceptions of self will decrease and their confidence will rise.

Images of black people and black culture in the media are generally negative or nonexistent for black children. These negative images distort a child’s self-image and can damage their perception of self. Positive black representation is needed now, more than ever, as black children are seeing the treatment of black people by police officers and self-appointed vigilantes. They need to see who they are and that the spotlight can shine on them too, in a good way. Black dolls have been around, but their availability, diversity, and cost have always been an issue. Until the 20th century, most black dolls were handmade and by the 1930s, several manufacturers were mass-producing black dolls, but African-Americans remained disproportionately underrepresented.

I relate to this product because I was that little girl once upon a time, where none of my toys looked like me. I didn’t like that my brown skin was darker than all the other girls in my class, or that my hair was so hard to manage when in reality I just didn’t know the proper methods to take care of it. It’s not like my mom had all the answers, it was worse for her growing up, and she couldn’t teach me what she never learned herself. I have an insider design approach to this product because I can relate and apply my experience and my learnings on self-love and acceptance into producing these dolls. I can give little black girls the little piece of hope I so longed for growing up so they don’t have to go through a whole journey just to realize they are beautiful and valued.