Remember when you or your child received their first doll? The excitement and joy it brought to their faces? One woman from Detroit created a doll that is bringing joy to kids everywhere, because the doll is unlike anything many kids have seen before. They’re called Healthy Roots dolls and they are designed to represent little girls of color, from the skin tone, and facial features, to hair texture.
Yelitsa Jean-Charles, owner and creator of Healthy Roots, spoke to Tati Amare about her company and why she created it. Yelitsa said she was inspired to create this doll from her own upbringing. She never had or saw a doll that looked like her. As she studied illustration in college, she began to embrace her natural hair and features. Yelitsa then started to work on creating a doll that highlighted the features of women of color, hoping it would positively impact young girls.
Watch the video above to learn more about Healthy Roots dolls.