Hello everyone
I’m still in my writing cave. Both manuscripts are with editors. Yay! So, I am busy and loving it.
On Saturday, I glanced up from the book I was engrossed in and noticed a cartoon playing on the TV screen. I was so excited to see the faces of 2 brown-skinned ladies with braids as part of the cast, that I asked my kids to pause it for me to take pictures.
They couldn’t understand my excitement until I explained. Growing up, the only images of cartoons that I saw on television or even storybooks, didn’t include people who looked like me. There were no cartoon characters with brown skin, let alone wearing braids.
Back then, when I wanted to draw a princess, I could only reproduce images I saw on the television and books—Drawings of ladies who looked nothing like me.
This got me thinking about how much things have improved since then. My daughters draw princesses of all races—Black, Brown, White, Asian—without much thought. This is really encouraging.
Maybe pointing out these amazing advancements instead of hammering on the negativity and division amongst us would promote further awareness and inclusivity. Maybe if we commended television program writers and producers, doll makers, publishers etc, for promoting diversity in a positive way, others would be encouraged to do so.
It may be naive of me to think major changes will take place rapidly. But I choose to keep hope alive and encourage the small steps made to showcase diversity in a positive light.
So, in my own little way, I want to thank the producers of Girls on a mission, for this amazing picture of lovely looking brown skinned ladies in this cartoon and for lifting my spirit up.
Below is a picture of a few dolls in my children’s doll house. I’m loving this…more, more, more!
