The World's Most Famous Doll Evolved with The Black Dolls in the Room.

#TheDollEvolves

Above: Mama Doll & Barbie on the O! The Oprah Magazine Photo & Video Shoot

The Black Dolls Became the Largest Consumer Group of Black Barbie.

"My mentorship journey began back in 2008 when I joined a philanthropic group of powerful women called The Black Doll Affair! Every year we collect and donate black dolls to little black girls to remind them of their beauty. We also host self-esteem parties for them which I love! The BDA started a self-esteem movement for young girls that was and still is unmatched. Joining this group taught me so much about myself, the importance of self-worth, and the need for mentorship. I will forever be a Black Doll and huge supporter of that movement."

In 2007, Mama Doll founded The Black Doll Affair in Atlanta, with a simple mission: Self-esteem mixed with philanthropy.  She set out to celebrate Black women, affirm Black girls and change the way the world sees Blackness. As the movement grew, first to Florida, then to Washington, D.C. a pivotal moment happened. A doll fell from a truck, a So In Style (S.I.S) Barbie. Designed by Stacey McBride-Irby, a Black Mattel designer. That moment sparked a connection, and The Black Dolls stepped in, buying, celebrating, and keeping that line alive by making it the official doll line of The Black Doll Affair. Purchasing thousands of So In Style dolls around the country paved the way for a ten-plus-year partnership with Mattel’s Barbie brand.

Change is Going to Come...

Pictured Above: Mama Doll and The Black Dolls with Honorary Black Doll Robin P. Hickman and the late Reverend Jesse Jackson at the Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago.

In August 2020, through a paid consultation, Mama Doll was invited over to Barbie’s dollhouse to speak with the Barbie Council, an audience of hundreds of Mattel toymakers. It was a powerful conversation.

The biggest question the Barbie team asked Mama Doll was, “So, what’s next for Barbie?” In that moment, she answered: “During this time of racial unrest and police brutality, Black Barbie’s blood is in the street. Meanwhile, Blonde Barbie is still stuck in 1959, standing in the kitchen of her Malibu beach house baking cookies. We have a responsibility to the children who play with Barbie to gently walk them through what they are hearing at school, at home, and on television.”

Soon after, Mattel courageously released Barbie and Nikki Discuss Racism on Barbie’s YouTube vlog. The animated video went viral, sparking worldwide conversations, front-page newspaper headlines, and hot-topic discussions on television talk shows.

Barbie Fashionistas... the Doll Evolves.

In addition to advising during this 2020 moment, in 2016, when they rolled out their most inclusive Barbie line ever, Mama Doll consulted with Barbie’s team during a key era of brand evolution they termed “The Doll Evolves.” 

During the historic rollout, Mama Doll was brought in to consult once again. Having shown Mama Doll and her publicist, Karen Grey (K.G.), the full 2016 line that was soon to hit the market, Mama Doll advised the Barbie team to put the Black Doll in an afro. It was too late to make the addition for the first rollout. But in the second rollout of the Barbie Fashionistas doll line, Doll #59 was sporting a stunningly beautiful and most realistic afro! 

Doll Designers & Influencers

• Stacy McBride-Irby, So In Style Barbie Doll Designer

• Carlyle Nuera - Lead Designer for Barbie Signature at Mattel

• Elle Oliver-Edmonds - Barbie Copywriter

• Robin P. Hickman - Doll designer & niece of the late photographer Gordon Parks - photographer of the famous doll test photo
• Stephen Sumner, Doll Designer —Barbie/Mattel, MGA Entertainment  Hasbro, Marvel Comics, JAKKS Pacific, and Spin Master doll designer

  
  

• Urian Ross, aka: Dude with Black Dolls @dudewithblackdolls on Youtube 

• Barbie - With a spotlight on Barbie Fashionistas Doll #59 – Mama Doll advised Mattel to give the dark-skinned doll an afro, helping advance authentic Black hair representation in the iconic Barbie collection.

Above: Mama Doll & Ambassadoll Nikol Straws Celebrate Barbie Partnership

Mama Doll challenged Mattel to go further. Having encouraged representation as the Barbie doll evolved into one of its most diverse eras, Mama Doll was, and remains, proud to align advocacy with cultural institutions and historic movements, continuing her work of representation, equity, and empowerment for girls. 

This page is a receipt, a love letter and a record of impact.

• Barbie talks racism • Barbie & Nikki racism discussion • Barbie racism 2020 • Mattel Barbie diversity • Barbie Advisory Council #BarbieTalksRacism #BarbieNikki #BarbieRacism #MattelBarbie #MamaDoll #TheBlackDollAffair