Authentically Me...Authentically You

When I was a kid, I played with Barbies much like many young girls today. I had the dolls, dog, house, car and even Ken. Though I played with them, my mom always searched for the black Barbie so that I could have one with which to identify. I remember frantically searching Toys'R'Us in 2009 to find a Princess Tianna doll for my own little.

As a woman of color, I have no issues with my daughter playing with a doll regardless of her race, but it is important that we never allow our children to see Barbie as the masterpiece of size, shape, career, beauty or importance. Identity and diverse matter!

I am happy that today, I can confidently show my daughter more diverse Barbies like Gabby Douglass, and even Katherine Jones. Dolls that reflect people like her who too have achieved greatness in a myriad of fields. More importantly she knows that she is the BLACK BARBIE/BEAUTY/GIRL OF INTELLIGENCE AND CHARACTER THAT SHE SEEKS.

On this National Barbie Day, introduce you Barbie/Black Beauty to real life BLACK BARBIES and to themselves and remind them that they are already royal. Here are few beauties I'd like to highlight! Click the book pic or video to learn more. You can also purchase the new Katherine Johnson doll.

Michaela Deprince, Ballerina and Alek Wek, Model!