"If beauty is hard to define, black beauty is rocket science. Beauty can’t be defined. It certainly can’t be placed in a box. Some advertising campaigns would have you believe that Black women are not the standard of beauty…and yet, prototypes of our genetic body parts are being sold in record numbers. From the island tan and the bee stung lip to injections at the cheek and hip, don’t believe the hype that you’re of bargain basement value. Doll, you’re a Goddess, genetically engineering a multi-billion dollar beauty industry. Black beauty, like any designer knockoff, has often upstaged fashion’s status quo and created trends that ignite unexpected brands and inspired iconic phrases such as ‘The Black Dolls’!"
- Mama Doll
In a world of housewives and hip-hop brands that do little to promote #blackgirlmagic, Mama Doll has been shining a light on the forgotten community of black women that get along, plays well with others, behaves dolling, promotes kindness in sisterhood and rocks their self-esteem bhuetifully. For more than a decade, Mama Doll has been building a healthy "playground" for black women and girls. Her day job as their champion & cheerleader, her talent for marketing their magic, and her gift for communicating their worth; combined with her ability to operate their large movement, build her dolling team and lift them up where they belong; all while partnering with them to give back with their big philanthropic hearts has literally changed the game and set The Black Doll Affair sisterhood apart.
HOW DID SHE GET THERE?
In Doll Tests, children identified the black doll as bad, ugly and least preferred.
In 2005, in an attempt to "brown the playing field" in product marketing, Dana had the chutzpah to create a self-promoting campaign (Got Spokesmodel?) and post a self-image billboard at the corners of 52nd Street and Broadway in New York’s Times Square. At the time, the striking model and publicist received the rude awakening that she was the "black doll"...
In 2007, she founded The Black Doll Affair (TBDA), a philanthropic organization and self-esteem movement for black girls and women (The Black Dolls) to re-establish their self-esteem, self-image and worth in a society where black women are all too often the lowest on the totem pole. TBDA is a solution to the infamous Doll Tests from the documentary 'A Girl Like Me' where black children associated black dolls with being “bad” and “ugly” and made it clear that they preferred white dolls, which they deemed “pretty” and “good.” “The Black Doll Affair is not about the color of your skin. It’s about loving the color of your skin, no matter what shade of black. It’s about self-esteem in hue. It’s about feeling good the way you were born – dark or light. It’s about girls and women conquering self-defeating, self-limiting thought patterns of ‘I’m not good enough because I was born a black girl.' It’s about loving who you are, and rejecting that pop culture statement: 'You’re so pretty to be black!' " proclaims Hill.
Though the billboard didn’t make national headlines or go viral, Hill’s efforts kick-started The Black Doll Affair movement, and therefore haven’t gone unnoticed. Over the course of the past few years Oprah’s OWN Network, BET, TV One, Macy's, Mattel, Essence Magazine, the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” Microsoft, and the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty have each given the movement a boost. In 2009, supported by Georgia’s governor, Atlanta’s Mayor, the Atlanta City Council, Congressman John Lewis, Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia State Senate, TBDA received a Proclamation for "The Black Doll Affair Day" in Georgia on December 12th.
The Black Dolls accepted an invitation to Congressman John Lewis’ Washington, D.C. office and President Barack Obama’s White House. TBDA received a Volunteer Service Award from President Obama. Celebrities in support of the movement are: Barbie, Gabrielle Union, Danny Strong, Taye Diggs, and the Brown sisters of Brown vs. Board of Education. The Browns are the namesake family of the historical supreme court case at the time "The Doll Test" was officially first conducted. The Black Doll Affair celebrated its ten year anniversary December, 17, 2017.
Partners with Mattel (Barbie brand), Macy's, and its members, The Black Dolls, it continues to grow in community outreach and recognition of its efforts in making a difference in the way black girls and women are seen and see themselves.
Not enough time to read all this right now? Click here and here to watch two short videos that sums it all, and tells a quick story about Dana “Mama Doll” Hill and life as a Black Doll Affair Black Doll.
She is the Founder of The self-esteem movement and private social club The Black Doll Affair. With members and leaders nationally and abroad, The Black Doll Affair is based out of Atlanta, GA. On December 17, 2007, after witnessing a "Doll Test" on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dana started The Black Doll Affair. The Black Doll Affair's mission is to change the way black girls are perceived and, more importantly, perceive themselves. We accomplish our mission with black dolls - living and toy. She is affectionately called "Mama Doll," a name she loves because it was one given to her by the members of The Black Doll Affair: The Black Dolls (Black women), their Porcelain Pals (non-black supporters) and their Brothas (all races of men).
As seen in Oprah (March 2019) and Essence Magazine ( June 2019) and featured in Prince Harry & Princess Meghan's royal wedding special (May 2018) - The Story of The Royals" produced for television by Time, People and ABC. Some of our Honorary celebrity Dolls are: Civil Rights icons Linda & Cheryl Brown (Brown vs Board of Education), actress Gabriel Union, history making and Principle Ballerina Misty Copeland, the world's most beloved doll-Barbie, diversity activist April Reign, Broadway and Hollywood Actor Taye Diggs, and Emmy Award Winner Danny Strong; Co-creator of "Empire" and writer of the screenplay "The Butler. Local Atlanta Honorary members include: CBS News Anchor Sharon Reed, Philanthropist and Radio Personality Wanda Smith, Former Georgia State Representative Margaret Kaiser, Georgia State Senator Nan Orrock and William L. Hawthorne, III, Esq; Chief Equity Officer City of Atlanta. Having chosen the black heart as the icon in our logo, we are a group of philanthropists devoted to giving back to "The Doll in the mirror, the Doll next door, and the the guys, dolls and baby dolls in our community. Annually during the Christmas season, I work with my Ambassadolls, leaders in cities across the United States, to host self-esteem summits and Black Doll giveaways at 1:00 pm in all time zones, on the first Saturday in December. The Black Dolls "pretty...philanthropic" work has been recognized by President Barack Obama, as he awarded The Black Doll Affair with his Presidential Service Award. Congressman John Lewis proclaimed December 12th "The Black Doll Affair Day" in Georgia.