MEET & HIRE DANA “MAMA DOLL” HILL

Dana “Mama Doll” Hill
Founder of The Black Doll Affair® | Creator of the ME Doll™

Marketer | Publicist | Social Movement Architect | Creative Consultant | Community Convener | Keynote Speaker | Experience Host

She’s more than a woman. She’s a Doll of her own making.

She’s more than a woman. She’s a Doll of her own making.

Once upon a time in Oklahoma City, there was a dark-skinned little girl named Dana who dreamed of a bigger, kinder, more accepting world. When modeling agencies weren’t interested in hiring her, she learned to market and book herself. She became her own agent and, in the process, learned agency. She studied broadcasting, stepped into the fast-paced newsroom of WSVN Miami, discovered she preferred telling people’s stories with heart, earned a degree in Business Marketing and Communication, became a publicist, worked for Dan Marino, built her own PR firm and eventually decided America needed to see more Black women representing major brands.

In 2005, Dana took that belief all the way to Times Square, putting herself on a massive billboard on one of the busiest streets in the world. More than a million people could pass her image, yet the opportunity she imagined never came. She took the billboard down. Then, in 2006, while home watching The Oprah Winfrey Show, she witnessed Kiri Davis’s recreation of the historic Doll Tests and watched Black children identify the Black doll as ugly, bad and least preferred. Suddenly, years of rejection made sense to her in a way they never had before. She was the ugly doll. She was the Black doll America didn’t choose. So instead of waiting to be chosen, Dana chose herself. In 2007, a Christmas gathering celebrating Black women, Black girls and black dolls became The Black Doll Affair®, and Dana became Mama Doll.

[LINK: READ THE STORY BEHIND THE MOVEMENT →]

THE MARKETER

She knows how to make people look, listen and remember.

Before Mama Doll built a movement, Dana built brands, campaigns, events and opportunities. Her career spans nearly three decades of marketing, public relations, promotions, business development, media relations, event production and creative strategy. Her work has involved major brands, professional athletes, entertainment companies, community organizations and entrepreneurs.

[LINK: EXPLORE MAMA DOLL’S MARKETING & CREATIVE WORK →]

THE PUBLICIST

Give her a story worth telling.

Dana discovered early that she wanted to do more than appear in front of the camera. She wanted to shape the story behind it. That instinct took her from broadcasting into business, marketing, communication and public relations, where storytelling became her profession and building people became her purpose.

THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT ARCHITECT

She didn’t join a movement. She built one.

What was supposed to be a one-time Christmas gathering became The Black Doll Affair®, a social, cultural and philanthropic movement created in response to the racial self-image problem exposed by the Doll Tests. Through self-esteem, representation, service, philanthropy, sisterhood and meaningful experiences, Mama Doll turned one painful realization into work that has reached women, girls and communities far beyond Atlanta.

[LINK: DISCOVER THE BLACK DOLL AFFAIR MOVEMENT →]

THE CULTURAL CUSTODIAN

She doesn’t simply observe culture. She helps shape it.

Mama Doll used dolls, fashion, media and representation to challenge who gets seen and celebrated. She placed everyday Black women in Vogue six times, created the Modolls magazine experience, developed a highly attended Macy’s × The Black Doll Affair fashion show, helped establish an eight-year DEI relationship with Macy’s and served on Mattel’s Barbie on the Pulse guest advisory board.

[LINK: EXPLORE THE LEGACY →]

THE COMMUNITY CONVENER

She knows how to get people into the room and give them a reason to remember being there.

Mama Doll creates experiences where people serve, learn, celebrate, talk, travel, create and connect. In 2021, she expanded that philosophy with The Black & White Doll Party, celebrating friends beyond the color of skin.

[LINK: EXPERIENCE THE BLACK DOLLS →]

THE CONNECTOR

She has a knack for bringing cultural icons on board extraordinary ideas.

Over the years, actors, artists, athletes, activists, executives, educators and cultural changemakers have supported, participated in or become part of The Black Doll Affair story. The names are impressive. The relationships behind them are the real story. 

[LINK: MEET THE HONORARY BLACK DOLLS →]

THE CREATIVE CONSULTANT

Bring her the problem. She’ll probably bring you an idea you weren’t expecting.

Mama Doll combines marketing instinct, cultural intelligence, storytelling and nearly three decades of experience to help brands, organizations, entrepreneurs and movements turn ideas into experiences people care about.

[LINK: HIRE MAMA DOLL FOR CONSULTING →]

THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Give her a microphone and a meaningful conversation to start.

Mama Doll speaks about self-esteem, representation, race, beauty, entrepreneurship, movement-building, Mitochondrial Eve, shared humanity and what can happen when rejection becomes purpose.

[LINK: BOOK MAMA DOLL TO SPEAK →]

THE SELF-ESTEEM COACH

Before she built brands, she was learning how people build themselves.

From the little girl who once ate lunch alone to the woman who created an international self-esteem movement, Mama Doll brings lived experience, humor, storytelling and decades of advocacy to conversations about confidence, identity and self-worth.

[LINK: EXPLORE SELF-ESTEEM COACHING →]

THE CREATOR

She made a doll with God.

Nearly two decades after creating The Black Doll Affair, Mama Doll finally created a doll of her own. Inspired by Mitochondrial Eve, the ME Doll™ became a Human Family Heirloom and educational ART-fact designed to open conversations about ancestry, identity, race, belonging, our shared human origin and the African mother connecting humanity.

[LINK: MEET THE ME DOLL™ →]

THE EXPERIENCE HOST

Don’t just hear the message. Experience ME.

Bring Mama Doll and the ME Doll™ experience to your company, school, museum, organization, conference, family or community. #YouPaintME™ uses art to create conversation, connection and a memorable way to explore identity and our shared humanity.

[LINK: HOST A #YOUPAINTME™ EXPERIENCE →]

THE RECOGNITION

The work has receipts.

Mama Doll’s work has received recognition from the White House to Congress, from civil-rights institutions to national media, publishing and education. Her honors include President Barack Obama’s Presidential Service Award, Congressional Recognition from Congressman John Lewis and recognition connected to the M.L. King Center, the City of Atlanta and the 60th Anniversary commemoration of Brown v. Board of Education. Her work has also appeared in textbooks, national publications, television and cultural projects.

[LINK: EXPLORE RECOGNITION & AWARDS →]

PEOPLE ARE TALKING

Linda Kyaw, Mattel Product Design Manager: “Mama Doll, you are such a gem, a phenomenal woman you are!”

Ronald McDonald: "Dana, showcasing local musicians and getting A&R reps from every record label in the room to watch, was an enormoug feat! Your 'Big Time Talent Show' idea was as good as a Big Mac!"

Danny Strong: “Dana’s the coolest!”

Footy, Y-100 FM: “Dana has a rare quality. She’s positive! She’s a creative person who gets things done and is willing to take chances.”

William Hawthorne, Senior Vice President of Diversity Strategies & Legal Affairs at Macy’s: “Dana is effectively driving the change we want to see in the Black community.”

[LINK: EXPLORE MEDIA, PRESS & TESTIMONIALS →]

HIRE MAMA DOLL

Wish Upon a Business Star.

Keynote Speaker | #YouPaintME™ Experience Host | Self-Esteem Coach | Board & Advisory Service | Creative Consultant | Marketing & Movement Strategist | Community Convener | Spokesperson

Bring Mama Doll’s experience in marketing, movement-building, storytelling, culture, creativity and self-esteem to your organization, community, classroom or event.

Build self-esteem. Challenge assumptions. Create conversations. Move culture.

[EXISTING HIRE MAMA DOLL INQUIRY FORM]