For my entire professional career, I never thought about “going natural.” Maintaining my straight hair became just another routine in my beauty regimen. However, I recently realized this seemingly day-to-day habit was sending a much deeper message to my daughter.
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As she began to question her own physical appearance, she wanted to know why her hair looked different. Not only was it different from her classmates and friends, but it was different from mine. At only 4 years old, she began to question all of her differences — including her hair — which prompted me to want to show her she was (and is!) beautiful.
I started looking for dolls and multicultural shows that would help her embrace her beauty, but was disappointed with the lack of selection. So, several months ago, I started to take active steps in shaping a more inclusive and diverse world for not only my daughter but for all children. I decided to create an online marketplace, Little Proud Kid, that featured and celebrated diverse and multicultural toys, books and dolls. These diverse offerings wouldn’t be on the sidelines, like I encountered in big-box retailers, but they would be the main attraction of our marketplace!
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Little Proud Kid eventually grew to become a community that empowered parents around the world to embrace all people. It provides a platform to encourage learning about and love the differences in others, but also to love themselves. The creation of Little Proud Kid was a monumental step in what I wanted to accomplish for my daughter, but I realized one major piece was missing.
I needed to make that change myself and live what I was teaching her. I had created this amazing marketplace and resource that showed my daughter characters and dolls she could relate to — however, I was showing her that I was not comfortable showing my natural beauty to the world. That was the very thing I wanted to communicate to my daughter: She is beautiful just the way she is.
I took a very big step and showed my natural hair to the world, and more importantly, to my daughter. I’m learning on this journey with my young daughter and Little Proud Kid that the change you wish to see in the world begins with one’s self. I’m sure it will be one of many steps I take to bringing about the change I want to see in creating a diverse and multicultural world.
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Georgia Lobban is the founder of Little Proud Kid, a place to celebrate all people… one people. Little Proud Kid brings an array of multicultural toys, books, resources and more to help you teach and celebrate the uniqueness in each and every child.
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