New Doll Company Teaches Young Girls to Love and Care for their Natural Hair

Healthy Roots is a doll and book series that combats internalized racism and colorism by adding diversity to the world of children's books and and providing education to young girls of color.


The series stars best friends Zoe, Dara, Gaiana and Marinda, girls from all different cultures and walks of life. According to their Kickstarter page, “[The characters] are truly passionate about learning and creating good for others. Girls get to follow our characters' journeys as they deal with insecurities while reading our storybooks.”


Founder Yelitsa Jean-Charles is a children’s illustrator who recognized a serious lack of diversity in children’s media, particularly for black girls, used her skills and passion to develop the first prototype.


In a press release for the Kickstarter campaign, the company notes Jean-Charles’s experiences with colorism and racism. “I have seen many women in my family bleach their skin and burn their scalps in the name of beauty,” she said. “They did this because they did not believe their natural features were beautiful. Our goal with Healthy Roots is to ensure that no one feels less than because of the kink of their curl or the color of their skin.”

Watch the Healthy Roots Kickstarter video below.




Healthy Roots has a website, where you can sign up for their newsletter to receive updates, learn more about the team and read their blog. The Healthy Roots team adds, “This Kickstarter project is only the beginning! We will create a series of Healthy Roots dolls and storybooks. Healthy Roots is not just a doll. It is a social movement. Help us make it happen.”

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