Black Canadian Dolls - available

I am so happy and proud of this news.

Some of you may remember one my posts Dolls Like Us.  I talked about a letter I sent to Maplelea Girls about creating a doll that represented black girls. We know that growing up most of us did not have a doll that looked like us or that we could relate to. I know I would have loved to have a doll that looked like me when I was young.

I did a survey asking all of you what you thought a black doll should look like for skin tone to hair type. I submitted your opinions to Maplelea Girls and guess what … they listened and took your comments into consideration when creating the dolls.

The two black dolls from Maplelea Girls. Photo: www.maplelea.com

Here is what Kathryn Morton, President of Maplelea Girls said, “We have two black dolls available now. We did the curly hair, as your readers suggested, but we also wanted to offer an alternative so we also did one with “textured” hair. They are part of the Maplelea Friends collection where girls get to make up their own name and character for their doll, using the journal that comes with it. Thanks so much for your help with this.”

WHAT A VICTORY! Thanks so much for being wonderful readers and for helping to make a difference. I’m really PROUD -  you should be too!!

Blessing and Curls,

B-Curlie

A Doll Like Us

                                         

In the fall one of my relatives informed me that she had written a letter to Maplelea Girls doll company, because she found that as a Canadian, her daughter was not being represented in their dolls as a Black Canadian. Maplelea Dolls pride themselves on giving Canadian girls from different backgrounds dolls that look like them and who would have the same cultural traditions and activities that they do.

                                         Current Maplelea Girls dolls.       Photo: Maplelea Girls

I was intrigued and decided to contact the makers of Maplelea Girls myself. I gave them some resources for Black history in Canada and mentioned that their are many Black Canadians who take pride in their culture and who appreciate seeing a Black Canadian doll that truly represented them.

Within 24 hours I heard from the President of Maplelea Girls, Kathryn Morton. I really appreciated her prompt response and she told me that Maplelea  Girls  has plans to bring a Black-Canadian doll to the market in 2012. Needless to say I was super excited. The idea of having a doll on the market in Canada for little black girls, that looked like them and did the things they did was fabulous.

Now here is the best part she would like feedback from the readers of Canadian Curlies and find out what naturals want in a Black Canadian doll. So I've created a survey link (see below) and I urge you to make your voice be heard. Be sure to think about what you would like this doll to look like and what persona you would like to have. Let's give the little ones something we didn't have a doll like us and share the link with others.

Black Canadian Doll survey link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LLNCXGM

Blessings and Curls,
B-Curlie