Black Disney Princesses: Newark Mom Empowers Girls With Doll Giveaway

NEWARK, NJ — It was decades before the Walt Disney Company created their first African-American “princess” in 2009, Tiana of The Princess and the Frog. But now that the color barrier has been broken, the demand for culturally diverse Disney dolls is rising among black women like Shennell McCloud and her daughter Avon.

McCloud, a Newark resident and director of advocacy for KIPP New Jersey, has always been an advocate for female empowerment. But after she recently gave birth to her daughter, McCloud had an epiphany about the importance of empowering African-American girls and giving back to the community in the process.

It all starts with symbols… and that’s where an updated line of Disney’s Fairy Tale Princess dolls can make a difference.

McCloud and her daughter are teaming up with Girls, Live, Love, Laugh, Inc., a non-profit organization focused on supporting girls in Newark and the surrounding areas, to provide 100 girls in the community with letters of inspiration from female community leaders and their own African-American versions of traditionally Caucasian Disney Princess characters such as Snow White, Cinderella, Belle and Ariel.

The dolls will be distributed to the girls, all eight to 15-years-old, at an event hosted by Girls, Live, Laugh, Love on Dec. 17. As of Tuesday, McCloud is still seeking additional women in the community to write letters of inspiration. The dolls have already been purchased and there is no cost to participate.

Women interested in participating can sign up here.

“The letters are meant to support the girls, let them know they are smart and beautiful future leaders, and that they are part of a sisterhood filled with diverse women- all remarkable in their own way,” McCloud said.

To women like McCloud – and their daughters – the culturally diverse dolls represent an evolution in social thinking.

“The release of the African-American Disney Princess dolls are huge for our girls,” McCloud said. “I needed this 30 years ago and I’m happy our girls can have it now.”

• See related article: West Orange Student Inspires With #1000BlackGirlBooks Campaign
• See related article: Black Comic Book Creator Hopes To Promote Diversity With ‘P.B. Soldier’

Photos: KIPP New Jersey

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