Designed in my essence, I named her “Dane” because it’s the nickname that many of my friends (mostly those up North) lovingly call me. Her physical attributes, loving spirit and style are all inspirations of myself. Like me, Paper Dane is fun, feisty and forgiving of typical human “shortcomings;” yet, she’s fiercely protective of those bullied and teased. Embodying The Black Doll’s slogan “Be a Doll, give a doll,” Paper Dane is holding her baby doll, Paper Dolly (not yet released for purchase.) I designed Dane in one of my go-to outfits: a Black Doll T-shirt, ripped jeans and knee-high sneakers aka the infamous Black Doll shoe. Fun story behind the shoes: on a LEGENDARY shopping trip to NYC, circa 2012, a group of Black Dolls and I stumbled into a shoe store. In the window on display, this pair of Chuck Taylor knee-high knockoffs caught my eye. I told the Dolls, “Oh, these are going to be the official shoe of The Black Dolls!” And the rest is herstory!

As for the lunch bag that displays her likeness? Well, that’s a different story…

Riddled with eczema-torn, rough, dry, oozing and flaking alligator-like skin in grade school, I was the subject of teasing and bullying. Needing to escape from the taunting and name-calling (like “Alligator Girl”) on the bus and in the school yard, during the social times - like lunch time, I retreated to the girls’ bathroom. It was there that I discovered my nature as a loner. It was in the girls’ bathroom that I learned to become “Mama Doll,” a leader with zero tolerance for mean-girl behavior. As I witnessed the worst parts of human nature: being laughed at, as I lived in pain; being stepped over as I sat on the girls’ bathroom floor; and being ignored by the popular, the bad girls and the low self-esteemed - students, teachers and principals alike - it was in the girls’ bathroom where The Black Doll Affair was FIRST born. The Black Doll Affair is a place for Black women and girls to get along and become the most dolling version of themselves, while honoring their own truths. When I was invisible, I learned that my most important job is to be kind to the Doll in the mirror, the Doll next door and the Doll in the girls’ bathroom…that leads me back to the Paper Dane Goodie Bag™. Created as a “comforting toy” for intimidated children to play with during times they found themselves alone at play, Paper Dane can be cut out of the bag, revealing the emotionally soothing contents inside.

So what’s in the bag? It’s a surprise! While every bag’s content is different, the bags will have a random selection of the following: jewelry, inspirational stickers, nail polish, journals, doll gear, bookmarks and other cool things that I continue to discover on my journey, as well as things I would have enjoyed playing with during that deeply hurtful time in the girls’ bathroom. But mostly, there’s LOVE inside each bag. After all, there’s a reason for the heart in The Black Doll Affair’s logo, it’s love.

Love hue,

Mama Doll