What does a woman do when she wants to see a doll that resembles her? Well, of course, she creates it! Yelitsa Jean-Charles, creator of the brand, Healthy Roots Dolls, wanted to teach young girls how to love their curls and themselves, so she created a doll prototype, Zoe. Growing up, Jean-Charles, never had a doll that looked like her. She distinctly remembers the first time her parents gifted her, a black doll. She remembers rejecting it and crying, because she wanted a ‘pretty one.’ Well, with Healthy Roots Dolls, Jean- Charles is using the influence of dolls, to positively impact the way kids think about themselves. With the creation of Zoe, she teaches girls to embrace the texture of their unique hair, as well as, offers information on how to care for their hair type. The doll, Zoe, has hair made of a very unique fiber, which kids can wash and style, as if it were real. Many people have been conditioned to think that hair, textured with curls, kinks and coils is not manageable. With this doll, Jean-Charles wanted to teach girls that by learning about hair, this would also dispel those myths.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jean-Charles about her inspiring story, her being selected by Secret Deodorant for their “Women-Owned Wednesday” campaign, as well as, her opinion on how important it is to understand the impact of toys on children.
How important was it for you to use your doll brand as an educational tool?
It was inspired by my own experiences growing up. The fact that the one time my parents, did, try to give me a black doll, I cried, because to me at the time it (the doll) wasn’t beautiful. As you mentioned earlier, I’d already been taught culturally what was the standard of beauty, and I was not included in that. Also, in my youth, I struggled with ideas about my hair. It wasn’t until I was older, and in college, that I became influenced by my peers who were embracing their own hair. That showed me, there’s more than one way to be beautiful. After working in children’s media, I saw an opportunity to further expand on empowering kids at a young age with this product.
In your opinion, what’s the correlation between self -love, young girls being able to identify with themselves, and the level of success that they accomplish in life?
From doing a ton of research, I learned just how important it is to have that representation at a young age, and toys really influence how kids think, act and see themselves. From my own personal experience, my perspective of myself and of my own future, changed when I found the confidence to be who I am. It also empowered me to learn more about my hair, and helped me to love myself just the way that I am. There is no, one look that you’re supposed to have. When you are comfortable with yourself, it changes a lot about your own perspective and your own opportunities.
Have you had moms and girls approach you, and tell you about the impact that your brand is having on them or their daughter?
Oh my goodness! Yes! So, we had a holiday pop up, and it was the first opportunity to actually see customers in person. We got to see girls, whose faces lit up! One of the first things that customers said was, “Oh, my God! She has hair like mine!” And moms are like, “I’ve been looking for a product like this. I’m so excited to give this to my daughter for Christmas.” We get email reviews coming in all the time, just sharing how excited they are to give this as a gift. We’ve gotten rave reviews and positive feedback from parents about it.
There’s a misconception, that kinks and coils are not manageable. How does learning about hair care, lend itself to changing perceptions about manageability?
When we were doing our research and learning more about our potential customers, we asked people about this, and they gave us three reasons as to why they didn’t wear their natural hair. One, they didn’t know how to do their own hair. Two, they didn’t have time. Three, they just did whatever their mother before them did. So, for our product, we designed the doll to have a unique fiber, for the hair, that is easily styled, so that kids can wash it and style it just like their own hair. We did that, because we wanted it to be a tool for kids to see that it is manageable. We also provided information and products about hair and how to do it, so children can understand that when it comes to hair, there’s always options. There’s nothing wrong with wearing your hair straight, kinky, curly, or however you want to wear it. Where there’s knowledge, there’s options.
We want you to wear it the way you want to wear it, because it’s your choice, not because you’ve been told you have to do it a certain way.
We’ve seen and learned, how much the natural hair movement has provided information to people, and made a positive impact, and with my brand I’m giving kids access to the products and images they can bond with.
Did you have parents who taught you about your history, your cultural legacy, and your hair?
My parents are both Haitians, straight from Haiti. I was actually born in Canada. My mother and I talked about this a lot. One of my fondest memories growing up is sitting between my mom’s legs, while she’s doing my hair. I used to tell my mom that she should open up a beauty shop all the time, because I always wanted her to put hearts in my hair and do patterns. It was difficult, but she did it, and it was a labor of love. I think that speaks to the culture, the history, and the impact shared across the African diaspora. There are different tribes, and other families who have specific braiding patterns and techniques, that they passed on from generation to generation. I learned how to braid from my own mother, and regardless of how we do our hair, I think it says something, that there are traditions that we have passed down to our children about their own hair and that must continue to be embraced.
For parents who don’t find it necessary to purchase inclusive dolls and toys as gifts, why is inclusion important?
I would tell parents to buy inclusive toys, and to think about the type of person that they want to raise in the world. You want someone who is kind, who is smart, and to respect others, and you would want their books and the toys, that your child plays with growing up, to reflect that. Buying dolls of various identities and cultures, inspires children to learn more about others. Think about the kind of person that you want to create in this world, and how you want them to treat others.
You were recently selected to be part of a large national campaign. How did you learn that you were chosen to be a part of Secret’s, “Women-Owned Wednesdays”?
It was actually pretty crazy. I got an Instagram DM or an email, and they were like, “We’d love to include your company in our campaign. We love your work!” I’m honestly so grateful to have been included in the campaign. Because of the support of companies like Secret, female entrepreneurs have been able to grow, especially during the holiday seasons.
Lynnette’s interview with Yelitsa Jean-Charles was originally published on Moms.com on December 19, 2019.
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