(WXYZ) — Work has been at the center of Black History and culture for years. From enslaved Africans that built America to the Black Business owners charting their own paths today, this Black History Month, as we explore the role of Black people and labor, we're talking to innovators and change makers here in Metro Detroit.
Today, we're highlighting a Detroiter making an impact in the toy industry. The owner of Healthy Roots Dolls tell me this is all about bringing curl power to the toy aisle with products that reflect the diversity of our reality.
When you look at these brown dolls with carefully crafted outfits and kinky, curly hair, what you don't see, is the journey Detroiter Yelista Jean Charles took to get here.
“We never had dolls that had our noses, our lips, our hair texture, and you have to do more than paint a doll Brown. All Brown in order to connect with children of color," said Yelista. “So much of it has been worth it because of the impact that we're having on children's lives and the response that we've received."
A Black woman with Haitian Immigrant parents, growing up in New York City.
“I grew up in basically three cultures, American culture, black American culture, and then my Caribbean culture. And on top of that, I was also very involved in the arts," Yelista said.
This led her to art school, where her passion about representation in media and drawing led her to transform Rapunzel into a little brown girl princess with textured hair.
“My classmates ultimately said, 'this looks like a doll', and I didn't really see it at the time, but I went on to Facebook and had a conversation with some peers, and over 100 comments later, realized there was definitely an opportunity here to address the lack of representation in children's media and toys that we didn't have growing up."
Her class project evolving into a crowdfunding campaign and eventually a successful business, launching in more than 1600 Target stores and into the hands of thousands of kids.
“It was great getting to see us go from just healthy roots Zoe to Guyana to Marisol, having a wide range of skin tones, facial features and hair textures," Yelista said.
Putting these dolls in stores are not only furthering the representation that she didn't see growing up, but also teaching Black and Brown kids the magical experience of loving their natural hair.
“I learned in the process of creating the products toys, influence how kids think, act and see themselves," Yelista said. "So giving them the opportunity to connect with a product that represents them looks like their family, and it's showing them how beautiful they are, and how beautiful their hair is."
Her hope is that this brand will inspire others to continue promoting self-acceptance and inclusivity, not just during Black History Month, but year-round.
“It shouldn't be exclusive to a designated time of the year. It should be a part of our everyday lives," Yelista said. "We should be shopping from diverse creatives, from people of different cultural backgrounds, just being inspired by each other's work."
