Dana "Mama Doll" Hill Rolls Out The Black Doll Affair Playground Across America Day

ATLANTA - March 3, 2016 - PRLog -- Women's History Month - The Black Doll Affair (BDA) Founder, Dana “Mama Doll” Hill, is continuing BDA's mission to change the way black girls are perceived and perceive themselves with the launch of “Playground.” Collaborating with her members and partnering with an icon whose family helped desegregate American schools, Mama Doll will incorporate what she believes to be the current generation of Dolls next step in the mission - playing with the future leaders of tomorrow and including those outside of BDA's racial focus.

Led by her United States Goodwill Ambassadolls (BDA leaders) and Cheryl Brown Henderson as an Honorary Black Doll, Founding President of The Brown Foundation, and National Playground Monitor overseeing the event, the inaugural “Playground” will take place on playgrounds across America on Saturday, May 28, 2016. At 1:00 PM in all time zones, children of all races will come to play!

"This new BDA program and playdate is not about talking to children about racism in America …(blah, blah blah). 'Playground' will be about children showing what harmonious race relations look like! For parents and their children, 'Playground' will be about meeting new friends outside of ones own circle, having fun with people that don’t look like you and hopefully, making a lasting connection that forges into a friendship they wouldn't have otherwise made. To lend their voices to the campaign as their city’s local 'Playground Monitors', Ambassadolls will select a community leader or child excelling in the neighborhood. (Email: info@ambassadolls.com if you know of a child (seeking all nationalities) that would be a good leader of these events). What is racism, if not an ignorant, stereotypical attitude held about another race of people? Since that is an inarguable truth, I believe that racial ignorance can only be shed by interacting with others and replacing ignorance with experience. Experience inevitably leads to education. So that our children can see for themselves that we’re all human beings cohabiting on one playground, Planet Earth, the message of 'Playground' is ‘come together now or suffer from the divide in the future.’ Since children are our future, I created 'Playground' to be a breeding ground for America’s babies to lead the way in playing well with others. The reason I chose Cheryl Brown Henderson as my National Playground Monitor, is because I couldn’t think of a better person to execute this campaign. As a service to Americans, Cheryl speaks regularly on ‘race in America.’ With her family at the helm of America’s most historic desegregation decision, she understands that bringing our children together is the way to our future,” said Hill.

Playground was inspired by a Christmas 2015 incident of racial divide. Mama Doll, an African American, attended a white friend's party. She noted she was the only black person there. With a bag full of black Barbie Dolls, like Santa Clause, Mama Doll jovially entered a home filled with doting grandparents, parents, godmothers, aunts and uncles. Just days before Christmas when we're mad-rabbit for an affordable toy and Barbie is hard to find on retailer's shelves, Mama Doll quickly discovered that her gift, Black Barbie valued at $20, was not a hot commodity with the partygoers. That day reminded Mama Doll of the black and white doll test - the very reason she started The Black Doll Affair back in 2007 - the black doll is not the people's choice. Feeling the pang and rejection of the unwanted black doll and overcome with sadness by the racial divide in America, Mama Doll, her Black and Porcelain Dolls, along with willing Americans, bring “Playground”.

“When Mama Doll told me about her Christmas experience and how it brought home the harsh reality - that racial division is ever present, and not a distant memory of something from 'back in the day,' I was immediately on board. I'm honored to be the National Playground Monitor. My parents and their fellow plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education found themselves in the midst of what had been a century long campaign to simply allow the innocence of childhood to play out in classrooms and on playgrounds across the country. Not one of us is born biased and bigoted - these are learned behaviors. We pay lip service to ideals like 'we the people' and equality, but as a nation, those concepts were subverted before the ink dried on the United States Constitution. The attorneys and families who stood together, including my parents, used the law to demand basic human rights. My only request is that as The Black Doll Affair 'Playground' initiative spreads across the nation, we participate openly and honestly. The push back to Brown v. Board of Education and Civil Rights gains has been constant. It's time to face the fact we will never form that 'more perfect union' by dividing ourselves along lines of race and ethnicity. Now let’s play,” said Cheryl.

About The Black Doll Affair: contemporary response to the historic “Black Doll Experiment” conducted by Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark, which produced social science evidence of internalized racism said to have influenced the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v Board of Education. Diversity partners with The Brown Foundation, Macy’s, Inc., and Mattel, Inc. and Taye Diggs' ChocolateMe! & MixedMe! book brands, The Black Doll Affair [BDA] is a social organization driven by its primary members, The Black Dolls. Secondary members are the Black Doll’s Porcelain Pals (non-black members) and Brothas (male supporters). The Black Doll Affair has grown into 24 states across America and Washington, DC. The Black Dolls range in shade and shape. Eighteen years and older, from college students to grandmothers, career women to ladies of leisure, they are women that band together to tackle the black girl's issues with shadeism, self hatred and low self-esteem. To deliver their message of intinternal and external beauty, they donate toy black dolls to toddlers, host self-esteem summits for teens and produce special events that promote and uplift black women. For fun, the Dolls, their Porcelain Pals and Brothas enjoy each other at social play dates. To express the importance of community service, annually, they donate hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to philanthropic causes that affect all races. These are the Affairs of The Black Dolls. For more information log onto blackdollaffair.com Source: The Black Doll Affair, Inc. Black Doll Affair Publicity: 404-590-doll (3655) media@blackdollaffair.com

About Brown Foundation: The Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research was established in 1988 to serve as a living tribute to the attorneys, community organizers and plaintiffs in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision of May 17, 1954, Brown v. the Board of Education. For more information about The Brown Foundation and its programs visit: brownvboard.org