Musician, Fenty Beauty Mogul Rihanna Makes Debut On Forbes’ Billionaires List
Rihanna, the award-winning musician, fashion, and beauty mogul, has officially landed on the Forbes billionaire list with a $1.7 billion net worth.
The Bajan celebrity has recorded an album since her 2016 album Anti, but last August, Forbes named Rihanna the richest female musician in the world. Additionally, she has become a heavyweight in beauty, fashion, and underwear with her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand, with a 30% interest, and the Fenty Beauty and makeup line. According to Forbes, Fenty generated more than $550 million in revenue in 2020.
The brand’s success is due in large part to its inclusive nature. The lingerie comes in all sizes, including for full-size women who want to look and feel good. The makeup is also inclusive for all skin colors and skin types, with 40 shades offered to customers. The makeup brand has a significant online presence, and its products are sold in Sephora stores nationwide.
“A lot of women felt there were no [makeup] lines out there that catered to their skin tone. It was light, medium, medium-dark, dark—we all know that’s not reality,” Bluestock Advisors co-founder of consumer products Shannon Coyne told Forbes last year. “She was one of the first brands that came out and said, ‘I want to speak to all of those different people.'”
Yahoo Finance reports Savage X Fenty is eyeing an initial public offering that could value up to $3 billion. A listing could happen later this year. In recent months, the fashion brand has expanded with five brick-and-mortar locations between California and Las Vegas. The brand also raised $125 million during a funding round in January.
Rihanna also made headlines as she showed her baby bump in numerous public appearances, including the Dior Autumn-Winter 2022 show at Paris Fashion Week, when a reporter informed the superstar she was late.
Comedian Earthquake Blames Jada Pinkett Smith For Not Stopping Will Smith’s Slap, Says She ‘Doesn’t Love Him’
Earthquake is sounding off on Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap on Chris Rock and placing blame on Jada Pinkett Smith.
During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, the comedian shared his take on the now-viral moment and explained why he thinks Jada could and should have done more to stop her husband from walking on stage and slapping Rock after he made a joke about her baldness.
“Personally, I feel sorry for Will ’cause you know he’s being beaten and abused by Jada–just saying,” Earthquake said.
“That’s what happens when a man loves a woman who doesn’t love him, and he’s doing everything to try and make sure that…try to win her love,” he added.
It was moments before Smith took the stage to accept his first Academy Award when he stole the show by physically assaulting Rock. The fact that Smith won best actor for King Richard, a film about Venus and Serena Williams, made the moment that much more significant.
But it was overshadowed by the slap, which has dominated the national conversation. But with Will slapping Chris over Jada two years after her embarrassing “entanglement” reveal, Earthquake thinks the Men In Black star should be cut some slack.
“I’ve been there before,” Earthquake admitted. “You have to make a decision. Either accept it for the love she giving and just accept that or just leave it alone, but you will never ever, ever win her over ’cause you can’t make her heart feel what it don’t —and she don’t. And her actions that night showed it, and I feel for him.”
The veteran comedian elaborated and explained how Pinkett Smith should know her partner and should’ve stepped in before her husband walked on the stage while Rock was presenting for best documentary, which went to Questlove’s Summer of Love.
“She knows her man, and she saw he was about to go up here. A woman that loves you would stop you,” he said.
“And then we do radio, we know the rules of FCC, and it was at the Oscars. Will doesn’t even cuss, and he out here using profanity on a live broadcast. He knows Hollywood; he knows the rules.”
Since the incident, Pinkett Smith released a vague statement that talked about “healing.” Sources for The Matrix: Resurrections star claim she wishes Smith didn’t slap Rock and that he “overreacted.”
Once again, Earthquake feels like her actions since the slap further prove his point.
“She didn’t try and stop him, on there, on two occasions, and then lastly, man, she has yet to release the statement to say, ‘Hey man, my man is a good man; he lost his cool. It’s not indicative of who he is. He got over three decades of good work towards the people he never had that, he lost his cool, ain’t nothing, no,’ ” Earthquake said.
He continued calling out Pinkett smith, saying “she should protect her man. What he did was protecting her.”
“A woman would come out and vouch for you, that that’s not you, that is not him. It’s just a natural—in my humble opinion—a natural reaction for a woman who sees a significance of what he did and what it’s gonna cost him if he was doing it for you.”
Omari Hardwick, La La Anthony, Tevin Campbell Attend Naturi Naughton’s Lavish Atlanta Wedding
Actress Naturi Naughtonspent the last day flooding her timeline with photos from her lavish weekend wedding in Atlanta.
The Power actress was joined by a few of her former co-stars from the show who stood alongside the bride and groom.
“Introducing…The REAL #PowerCouple 😝❤️ #MrAndMrsLewis,” Naturi captioned her first of three wedding photo slides. “It’s Official now! I’m his WIFE! @twolewis_ I will love, honor & respect you to #infinityandbeyond.”
Naughton and her husband, Two Lewis, showed off their Black love alongside a huge wedding party of 11 groomsmen and eight bridesmaids. Naturi’s onscreen husband, Omari Hardwick,stood by her real-life husband as the best man while La La Anthony as well as radio personality Angela Yee served as bridesmaids.
Naughton, who still appears on the spin-off, Power Book II: Ghost, gave a special shoutout to Hardwick for being a constant support to her and Lewis throughout their relationship. It was through Hardwick, that Naughton ended up meeting his manager and falling in love with him.
“What can I say…I got good taste!,” Naughton jokingly captioned a photo alongside Two and Hardwick “#TVHubz & #RealLifeHubz. Thanks @omarihardwickofficial for supporting our love from #DAYOne.”
Speaking on the day she met Lewis in February 2019, Naughton knew the vibe was right but had no idea he would become her husband.
“We really just hit it off immediately,” Naturi toldBrides. “It was almost like I met someone that was like a best friend. It wasn’t instantly romantic. We were just getting to know each other as people.”
For the ceremony, Naughton’s daughter, Zuri, served as the flower girl with Lewis’ niece, while “This Is How We Do It” hitmaker Montell Jordan took on his pastor role to officiate the nuptials. Jordan and his wife, Kristin, provided counseling to Naughton and Lewis.
Singer Tevin Campbell sang “Brown Eyed Girl” while Naughton was escorted down the aisle by her father.
“As we were rehearsing, I already started crying,” she said. “The fact that my father is still here with me and my parents have been married for 50 years makes me so grateful.”
For her last wedding post, Naughton highlighted her family and honored her daughter.
“We are a Familyyyyyy. To My Baby Zuri, my beautiful brown-skinned girl…you deserve ALL THIS LOVE,” Naughton captioned the heartfelt post.
BlackUp Tech StartUp Aims To Use a Better Algorithm To Connect and Match Black Professionals With Equitable Jobs
For Christabel Agbonkonkon, the outrage that followed the murder of George Floyd prompted her to contribute to the Black community in a way that could empower Black people to be self-reliant within the workforce.
On March 31, the Frisco, Texas, resident launched BlackUp, a recruitment platform aiming to connect Black professionals with companies genuinely seeking to increase and maintain their Black workforce.
“Jobs are so foundational to our mental health, self-reliance, and economic security that can help you believe in yourself,” Agbonkonkon said, a Frisco church member, according to the Church of Jesus Christ In North Texas. “It’s about building self-esteem and a better feeling about the world around them.”
She continued: “Giving Blacks better access to jobs would do so much to improve their mental health. Jobs can provide for families, keep families together, and keep people out of trouble and out of jail.”
The company’s slogan, “BlackUp, Making Job Equity a Reality,” speaks to Agbonkonkon’s vision of bridging the equity gap that Black professionals face in the employment market. In doing so, BlackUp uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the broad science of mimicking human abilities, while machine learning (ML) is a specific subset of AI that trains a machine how to learn using methods from “neural networks, statistics, operations research and physics to find hidden insights in data without being explicitly programmed where to look or what to conclude.”
“We needed a better algorithm, that’s BlackUp’s design, to provide a better matching algorithm and a better screening process for both the enterprise and our employees,” said Agbonkonkon, as per ELOEP.
The company provides a subscription-style service in which partners pay on a monthly or annual subscription model, post jobs, contact candidates, measure diversity metrics and progress, and more. Candidates can benefit from a free service for seeking part-time, full-time, contract, remote, or hybrid work from reputable companies around the U.S.
Originally from Nigeria, Agbonkonkon is a soccer mother of five who inherited her entrepreneurial spirit watching her mother sell clothes. That same spirit gave birth to BlackUp with the enormous help of students from her alma mater, Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business. In building a prototype for the online platform, the research illustrated that she needed to help Black people connect to jobs that better match their skills.
“It’s not a job that a company employs just because it’s trying to fill an allocation; it’s a deliberate match between a company that uses AI and machine learning and a candidate,” she said. “We believe that when people match a qualified job better, it helps them stay in their job.”
The goal for BlackUp is to have 1 million Black professionals signing up, Agbonkonkon said.
Martin Luther King III and former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young Join the Movement for Economic Parity in Cleveland
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated 54 years ago on Monday, visited Cleveland at least seven times the year before he was fatally shot on the balcony of a Memphis motel. Dr. King, who was in the Tennessee city advocating for fair wages for striking sanitation workers, was scheduled to return to Cleveland six days after his assassination.
During those Cleveland visits, Dr. King galvanized thousands of people to rallies and boycotts to improve conditions for Black residents and to drive voters to the polls to elect Carl Stokes, who became Cleveland’s first Black mayor and the first Black American to serve as mayor of a major city. His influence angered many who wanted to maintain the status quo and then Cleveland Mayor Ralph Locher even called him an extremist.
Today, officials of the Southern Christian Leaders Conference (SCLC) and The Black Contractors Group (BCG) announced that Dr. King’s eldest son, Martin Luther King III, and one of his top aides, former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, have joined the campaign for economic parity in Cleveland and is calling on The Sherwin-Williams Company to return to the negotiating table to resolve the 17-month long dispute with the BCG and SCLC.
In September 2020, Sherwin-Williams named an all-white, nine-member team of partners to build its new $600 million plus global headquarters in the city and a research and development center in nearby Brecksville. Saying that decision is unacceptable in the nation’s poorest big city which is 51 percent Black, the BCG and the SCLC have insisted that Sherwin-Williams names a Black partner to the team.
A Cleveland-based Black-owned firm was identified. All sides agreed to move forward but talks stalled and Sherwin-Williams has refused to explain why or return to the negotiating table.
King III believes his father’s dream of economic equality can be achieved in Cleveland just like the city lead the way politically when Stokes was elected the city’s mayor. That breakthrough led to African Americans being named mayors, members of congress, and even U.S. president.
“My father would be appalled by the conditions in Cleveland today,” King III said.
“While the city has made advances politically, it has failed its citizens in becoming the poorest big city in the nation. We must address the roots of this problem and that is why I am supporting the campaign for economic parity in Cleveland, which seeks to resolve these problems. It starts with all sides returning to the table to find a fair resolution.”
Ambassador Young, who also served in Congress representing the state of Georgia and two terms as mayor of Atlanta, is calling for Sherwin-Williams to meet again with the SCLC and the BCG to end the conflict, because he knows the value of true diversity, equity and inclusion. As an influencer from Atlanta, Young is credited with bringing the 1996 Olympics and many global corporations to Atlanta and the region, which has positioned Atlanta as a major U.S. hub.
“Our success is due to corporate leaders sitting at the table with community stakeholders,” Young said.
“At that table, they engage in the courageous conversations that remove the walls that divide them and pave the way for true understanding that leads to business growth and opportunities for all. I know what was achieved in the deep South can be achieved in Cleveland and the Midwest. Cleveland has no other choice but to galvanize all to the table if it seeks to rebound as a major destination for all Americans.”
Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the SCLC, and Norm Edwards, president of the BCG, said this is a historic moment for the movement.
“Martin III and former U.S. Ambassador Young are global leaders who bring true credibility, integrity and influence to the movement,” Dr. Steele said.
“They are known for fostering unity and understanding and resolving conflicts.”
Edwards added, “The movement is gaining national momentum from some very powerful leaders and influencers. It is time for our local leadership to step up and do what is right for all of the citizens of Cleveland. It will be a travesty if Sherwin-Williams builds an office tower with $300 million in tax breaks and incentives, which are public dollars, and no Black-owned firm was awarded a contract to serve as a senior manager to oversee the project as a key partner. My hope is we get this resolved now.”
Business, Education, and Military Leaders Praise Leadership of Black Enterprise Founder Earl G. Graves Sr.
Leaders across education and business came together Wednesday to share memories while honoring the life, memory, and legacy of BLACK ENTERPRISE Founder Earl G. Graves Sr.
(Photos Courtesy Morgan State University)
Among the speakers were BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr.; Senior Pastor, Grace Baptist Church of Mount Vernon (NY), Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson; Morgan State University President, Dr. David K. Wilson; BLACK ENTERPRISE Executive VP and Chief Content Officer, Derek T. Dingle; and Grand Keeper of Records and Seal at Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Mark Jackson.
They spoke to the natural-born leader and trailblazer Graves was throughout his life and career and how it helped shape future generations and advanced African Americans nationwide. A video tribute highlighted leaders who touched on Graves’ dedication to ensuring major corporations were “aware and compassionate” to the Black community.
Earl “Butch” Graves and Lt. General R. Scott Dingle (Photos Courtesy Morgan State University)
Rev. Richardson touched on the two years it took to properly pay tribute to Graves and how those who knew and loved Graves were “holding” their grief “because the pandemic held us.”
He praised Graves for how he “expanded the horizons of our people and brought sense and justice to our community,” by “fueling” social justice organizations like the National Action Network, NAACP, and National Urban League with his “resources, vision, and participation.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. was overcome with emotion while honoring his father and speaking about the leadership and manhood he instilled in him and his two brothers, Johnny and Michael Graves.
(Photo courtesy Morgan State University)
University President Wilson shared Graves Sr’s consistent commitment to supporting him while also holding him accountable to ensure his alma mater was led properly. Graves was a mentor, supporter, and friend to Wilson due to his love and dedication to Morgan State.
(Photo Courtesy Morgan State University)
Wilson shared a story where Graves encouraged him to purchase tables at industry events because of the importance of networking.
“It’s so critical to the elevation of Morgan and I know you cannot use state dollars to elevate this institution’s future,'” Graves Sr. once told Wilson while handing him a personal check to go toward the school’s advancement.
“I’m forever grateful not just for the example of leadership, but for his refusal to simply be ordinary,” Wilson said.
BLACK ENTERPRISE Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer Derek T. Dingle shared his personal experience of being hired on the spot 39 years ago and the father figure Graves became to him.
“He was very demanding and expected the highest standards. But at the same time, he required that we show that world our brilliance because he knew that we were the top of the line,” Dingle said.
Dingle recalled how Graves gave his staff the opportunity to document some of the most groundbreaking moments in history at a time when mainstream media didn’t think Black journalists were capable.
“He did it all with his unshakable optimism,” Dingle said.
Grand Keeper of Records and Seal at Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Mark Jackson explained how Graves Sr. applied the organization’s principles in everything he did and represented after his initiation on December 10, 1954.
Graves’ dedication to his fraternity brothers remained throughout his life and elder years, with the media mogul making time even in his ailing health to meet with young Omega members and offer them mentorship and guidance.
“Omega was near and dear to his heart,” Jackson said.
Chairman of the Board, Citizens Trust Bank, Ray M. Robinson lighten the mood by sharing joyful memories highlighting Graves Sr.’s sense of humor and love for taking photos.
Chairman of the Board, Citizens Trust Bank, Ray M. Robinson (Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)
“There was an awful lot to Earl,” Robinson said. “All of us who knew him and loved him miss him.”
Ron Williams, RW2 Enterprises CEO and former Aetna Inc. chairman and CEO, was also overcome with emotion. He recalled Graves Sr’s commitment to supporting him in becoming Aetna’s first African American CEO in the company’s 200-year history in 2006, as noted by The History Makers.
(Photo Courtesy Morgan State University)
“A company that once reimbursed slave owners for financial losses and I was the President because of Earl,” Williams said through tears.
Williams said Graves would continue to be a resonant voice during his time leading the company. “Always be a strong voice in the boardroom for people of color,” he would tell Williams. “Make sure the company’s spending is reflective of all the customers it serves.”
The memories and words of tribute helped paint a picture of the true leader Earl G. Graves Sr was in life—and the honorable legacy he leaves behind.
(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)
(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)(Photo courtesy of Morgan State University)
HISTORY MADE: President Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed By U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Joe Biden‘s Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice, CNNreports.
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 07: U.S. President Joe Biden embraces Ketanji Brown Jackson moments after the U.S. Senate confirmed her to be the first Black woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on April 07, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Jackson was confirmed as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history by a 53-47 vote. All 50 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus voted in favor of Jackson, as well as Republicans Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Judge Jackson’s confirmation was a historic moment for our nation. We’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible Justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her. pic.twitter.com/K8SAh25NL5
Presiding over the vote was Vice President Kamala Harris making the moment even more special for Black women. Jackson is just the third Black person to make the High Court after Thurgood Marshall and current Justice Clarence Thomas.
Jackson’s confirmation doesn’t change the conservative majority of the court but does fulfill a promise President Biden made to Majority Whip James Clyburn and represents a huge win for Biden while he continues to deal with ending the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration challenges on the Southern border, a rise in inflation, supply chain issues, and the Ukraine-Russia war.
Jackson sports a wealth of legal experience. She previously clerked for former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who she will replace on the High Court. The Harvard University and Law School graduate also served as a federal public defender, a criterion that Biden committed to during his election run. Brown Jackson also served as a commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission and was appointed to serve on the federal district court in D.C. by former President Barack Obama.
Last year, Biden elevated Jackson to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, widely viewed as the second most powerful court in the country.
Jackson faced numerous attacks on her record and judicial philosophy during her confirmation hearings from Republicans, including Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn). However, she made it through unscathed and even had a few moments that went viral. Additionally, New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker was Jackson’s biggest cheerleader during the hearings.
Meet Rada Griffin: NASA Engineer & Alabama’s First Certified Black Woman Winemaker
HBCU grad and NASA software engineer Rada Griffin has two missions: to help send the first woman to the moon in 2024 and propel her growing wine business beyond the white, male-dominated industry.
By day, the proud Tuskegee University grad clocks in long hours as a senior software engineer and subject-matter expert for NASA, providing support to the project to put the first woman on the moon in 2024. When the weekend approaches, she’s rolling up her sleeves in the kitchen as a local private chef hosting wine and food pairings. On occasion, she’ll even take a trip to the wine country of Napa Valley, California, to check on her very first vintage, which has recovered from the 2019 California wildfires.
In 2019, Griffin launched Anissa Wakefield Wines, becoming the first certified Black woman winemaker in Alabama, The Cornell Chroniclereported. She made her dream possible through an online course at Cornell University and a completed certificate program focused on wines of California, the Pacific Northwest, and New York. The more she learned spurred Griffin to take an additional course.
Since then, the Black winemaker launched a local wine club, The Black Cuvee, to bring together Black wine enthusiasts, experts, and novices in Alabama.
“There’s a movement happening with Black people getting into the wine industry,” Griffin told the outlet.
“You see it with celebrities and athletes alike. I’m hoping to do my part with bringing that forward.”
As a Black woman, Griffin has had to confront challenges within the winemaking industry. In fact, the inclusion and acceptance of Black people still prove difficult, she said.
“The wine industry still is not comfortable with us and definitely not really comfortable with a Black woman that’s coming in and saying this is what I want, this is how I want to do it, and I know just as much as you. I will not lie, it was to the point where I thought about giving up several times because it’s just ridiculous the amount of nice nasty that you get from this white male-dominated industry,” Griffin explained to News One.
She continued: “But, I’m determined to see this through because I am for the culture and I am dedicated to propelling us into any industry that I can step my foot in and bring us forward. I want to be able to do my part.”
Griffin is a force to be reckoned with. Her dreams for Anissa Wakefield Wines stack up as high as she intends to help make NASA history.
“Ultimately, my goal is to get the wines on the airlines,” she said. “When you’re flying, and you’re choosing between white and red and you open that booklet and read the wine brands, I want Anissa Wakefield Wines to be there. That’s the level I want to get to. That’s some years away.”
The basketball Hall of Famer and respected entrepreneur is expanding his fast-casual chicken restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, after inking a 50 unit deal in Texas.
According to QSR magazine, Big Chicken will be opening shop in four of the largest Texas markets— Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. While they say everything is “bigger” in Texas, Big Chicken is known for serving a fusion of home-cooked childhood favorites with the “BIGGEST” new flavors.
“Big Chicken is exactly the kind of brand that succeeds in Texas: pioneering and bold, yet rooted in delicious tradition. Our restaurant industry’s rich diversity is our greatest strength, and we’re absolutely thrilled that Shaquille O’Neal and the Big Chicken team are joining us. Welcome back home to Texas, Shaq,” Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of Texas Restaurant Association, said.
Courtesy (Big Chicken)
The team behind the franchise’s growth is among some of the most notable in retail development, including Fazil Malik, Frank Malik, and Noordin Jhaver.
The Maliks are well-known for their successful gas station and convenience store operations company, Northwest Petroleum (NWP), and Skylark Construction. This construction company specializes in retail developments, gas stations, convenience stores, quick-serve, and sit-down restaurants.
Jhaver is the CEO of Dew Real Estate Holdings L.L.C., a notable real estate ownership company within the retail and restaurant space, and the owner/operator of more than 50 Sonic restaurants, with more on the way.
“Big Chicken wouldn’t be growing like it is without the team behind it,” Shaq said, as per KJ97. “My team has done a fantastic job making sure we’re growing in the right way, with the right people. Now, we’re going even BIGGER in Texas, and I’m excited to be teammates with Fazil, Frank, and Noordin.”
In addition, Big Chicken recently announced plans to expand its franchise into West Texas, Central Oklahoma, Chicagoland, Arizona, and Greater Los Angeles markets, QSR magazine reports.
The fried chicken franchise is currently situated in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, metro-New York’s UBS Arena, and two Carnival Cruise ships.
Purpose Toys Partners with Just Play to Introduce Two Contemporary Toy Brands That Align With the Modern Black Experience
Purpose Toys, one of the largest Black-owned toy start-ups, announced today the release of two new purpose-driven toy lines, Naturalistas and HBCyoU, in partnership with Just Play and Kidfinity Inc. (a Just Play affiliated company).
Both lines will be sold and distributed by Purpose Toys for retail launch globally in Fall 2022, with additional collaborations planned for Spring 2023 and beyond.
Purpose Toys was founded by entrepreneur, brand specialist, and business development executive DeeDee Wright-Ward with a mission to partner with promising Black toy creatives, to produce contemporary products that align more closely with the modern Black experience. DeeDee’s background in entertainment and fashion provides a distinctive expertise to bring culture-based initiatives to the mainstream, according to a press release.
Naturalistas(created by DeeDee), is a line of natural hair fashion dolls designed as “A Celebration of Natural Coils, Curls and Crowns.” HBCyoU Dolls, created by Purpose Toys’ mentee Brooke Hart Jones, are 18-inch dolls that aim to “Share the Magic of Historically Black Colleges and Universities” by advancing the concept of higher learning to young children through play. Through Naturalistas and HBCyoU, Purpose Toys has captured a medley of cultural subtleties, including the uniqueness of Black beauty and hair textures, gorgeous hues of Black skin tones, accompanied by authentic storytelling dear to the Black community.
(Courtesy of Purpose Toys)
DeeDee Wright-Ward stated, “The African American community is a nuanced, multi-dimensional group with varying sensibilities and experiences. Through Naturalistas and HBCyoU Dolls, Purpose Toys ushers in the perfect opportunity to honor the uniqueness and multifaceted nature of not only our community, but African American culture. While ‘diversity,’ ‘representation’ and ‘inclusion’ are slowly becoming the corporate norm, more work needs to be done to bring cultural nuances, authentic brand stories, and Black ownership to the toy aisle. We hope to affect positive change not only in toy development, but in business overall.”
Charlie Emby, co-President of Just Play, stated, “Purpose Toys is elevating the conversation about cultural representation to the next level with Naturalistas and HBCyoU Dolls. Just Play is committed to the vision of toy shelves that are inclusive and reflect the diversity of the world around us, and we are honored to work with Purpose Toys to provide opportunities for more children to see themselves reflected in their playthings.”
Naturalistas Dolls (SRP $12.99) feature seven aspirational characters, all with authentic hair textures, gorgeous skin tones, as well as contemporary custom-designed fashions. The line also includes an Influencer Deluxe Set (SPR $24.99) that includes an array of fun accessories and two interchangeable hairstyles. Each Naturalistas character was specifically designed as a reflection of Black beauty, including culturally familiar faces, featuring beautifully sculpted noses, lips, jawlines, and profiles. For style-conscious kids, contemporary Fashion Packs (SRP $9.99) feature three different ensembles, each designed to reflect a-day-in-a-life of a Naturalista. The line also includes two “Crown and Coils” and “Crown and Curls” Styling Heads (SRP $29.99).”
Naturalistas is the first toy line to offer specific Natural Hair textured styling heads, with special 3C and 4A hair textures that more accurately reflect the variety of hair textures of Black children. Styling Heads come with culturally specific hair tools and accessories, including a trademark Crown afro pick, gold crown braid barrels, butterfly barrettes, and more.
HBCyoU Dolls (SRP $34.99) feature three characters, all with authentic hair textures and beautiful, realistic skin tones. Dressed to participate in varying school-related activities, HBCyoU characters come with contemporary custom designed outfits. HBCyoU Dolls were authentically designed to reflect the nuances of Black beauty, and to celebrate the Black college experience.
Just Play’s award-winning portfolio of toy lines includes several multi-cultural and diverse brands such as Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins, Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red, Netflix’s Ada Twist, Scientist, Nickelodeon’s That Girl Lay Lay, and YouTube’s Super Sema.
