News

Seasoned comedian Cedric The Entertainer is adamant Bill Cosby deserves to be honored for his contributions to the Black community both on and off the set despite being convicted for aggravated sexual assault.

The 56-year-old initially paid homage to Cosby in an Instagram post on February 26 where he said the disgraced comedian “did a lot for the culture and the community.”

“The controversy of his current situation is not what these [sic] post are about!,” he clarified before adding: “He was one of the first Black Men we saw on TV that was truly his own boss. He taught us to know our worth in this business, He showed us how to give back to our communities and institutions.”

Cedric continued: “He was/ is Prolific, Funny and Audacious! He ruled on damn near every platform. Thursday nights became must see TV because of him, Film, Stage, Books, Animation, Recordings, all were places he reigned supreme. So he had to be shouted out, for his contribution to the Black History of Comedy. Show the Legend some Recognition!!”

In a follow-up interview with TMZ on Wednesday, Cedric re-echoed his initial sentiments, saying Cosby’s transgressions shouldn’t overshadow his influence and the good he has done for the Black community.

“We all live a full life with a lot of good things and some bad things. You pay the cost for all of it. If you get convicted, people wanna wipe out the [good] things that you did,” he said.

He added: “What I wanted to say was that for so many years of our lives Bill Cosby was the litmus…. Everything he did, the way he contributed and showed love to black people, the way he taught us how to do that for ourselves, the way we all learned to take pride in our culture and our history.”

Cedric also lauded Cosby’s media acumen, saying he laid the groundwork and foundation for the likes of Jay-Z and Tyler Perry to thrive.

Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison in 2018 on three counts of aggravated assault for drugging and sexually assaulting former basketball player Andrea Constand in his home in 2004. The comedian and actor’s case was the first high-profile celebrity conviction of the #MeToo era which was initiated to raise awareness of sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the workplace. Cosby also had several other women coming out to accuse him of sexual misconduct going back to almost 30 years.

The allegations against the actor and his eventual conviction were also followed by him losing several honors and business partnerships as well as people shelving his sitcom and anything that has to do with him.

Asked if Cosby could be forgiven for the crimes he committed, Cedric replied: “Redemption for certain crimes are going to be hard to come by. Abuse of the ladies, taking advantage of people that are unaware of their circumstance, I don’t know how much redemption you deserve for that.”

That notwithstanding, it appeared Cedric’s sentiments caught the ears of Cosby as he responded to his Instagram post in a tweet on Wednesday. “I plan to do more, too. Thank you very much for feeling, knowing & keeping the legacy alive through your great work,” Cosby’s Twitter account posted. “Thank You, Thank You & Thank You.”

Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Nike, Inc. forged an exciting partnership. According to News Onyx, the mega sports apparel organization will be the official athletic outfitter and equipment provider for the HBCU.

On Thursday, FAMU Athletics announced the deal on Twitter, saying, “@KortneG welcomes @Nike and @KingJames to the #FAMUly.”

The six-year deal will include “official athletic footwear, apparel and equipment.” The agreement goes into effect on July 1, the publication reported. There’s also an option for a two-year extension. Neither FAMU nor Nike has divulged the details of the payout.

According to News, FAMU’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Kortne Gosha spoke about the partnership between the No.1 public HBCU and Nike.

“FAMU is an elite institution with a rich tradition of first, and our student-athletes deserve a student-athlete experience that is second to none,” he said. “As we transition into a new athletic conference and the opportunity to engage apparel partners, the 23-year relationship with Nike and their commitment to culture, diversity, inclusion and innovation has never been clearer.”

“My executive team and I are focused on setting a new standard, and our top priority is to align with the best quality and most innovative products, brands and resources that position our student-athletes and coaches to compete for championships,” Gosha expressed.

The game-changing partnership serves as an example for other HBCUs to form lucrative alliances with major corporations.

“This partnership allowed us to reimagine, challenge the norms of our industry and be the model for leveling the playing field with the most significant investment in the American Jewels known as Historically Black Colleges and Universities by any footwear and apparel company,” he concluded. 

FAMU has its share of notable alumni in the sports world, including tennis legend Althea Gibson, Olympic gold medalist “Bullet” Bob Hayes, and football greats Ken Riley and Jake Gaither,the news outlet reported.

The prestigious university, which has 14 sports programs and a notable marching band– The Marching 100, will wear Nike apparel– on and off the field. 

The HBCU’s sports teams will also wear LeBron James uniforms, including sneakers and apparel with a custom-made design for FAMU.

According to News Onyx, Nike’s Vice President of League Partnerships for North America, Sonja Henning, is excited about the upcoming partnership with the HBCU.

“Florida A&M has a rich tradition of excellence on the court and field, which not only includes athletic success but equally important is academics, preparation for future careers and community engagement,” she said.

“Through our continued relationship with Florida A&M Athletics, we’ll have the opportunity to partner with some of the country’s preeminent student-athletes and the next generation of leaders.” 

Nike will also offer FAMU’s sports programs student-athlete development, internship and networking opportunities.

Gretta Jackson took a job as a part-time server job at an Outback in Southfield almost two decades ago to put some extra money in her pocket. She worked her way up to become the first Black woman in the Detroit area to own her own location.

She announced the news on her Facebook page:

“On this day 19 years ago I began my journey with OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE as a part time server… What started off as a Hustle would quickly become my career…. fast forward to today MY 19TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY with this company and I NOW OWN MY VERY OWN OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE!!!  BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE MANAGING PARTNER FOR OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE IN THE DETROIT MARKET!!

GOD IS AMAZING…THANKING AND PRAISING HIM FOR IT ALL 

NOW HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS

“

Jackson can now say she’s the managing partner of an Outback Steakhouse restaurant in Roseville.

After posting to her social media page, Jackson told Fox 2 Detroit how people randomly stopped by the restaurant to show her support.

“What started off as what I thought was just a simple post to celebrate a milestone in my life quickly turned into something else,” she said. “I could never imagined so many people would come to say hi and thank you and congratulations to me in person. I’ve had people send gifts, flowers, Edible Arrangements to the restaurant for me. Just an overwhelming amount of love and support.”

Jay-Z is probably the busiest Black entrepreneur in the market, making one deal after another. He recently sold half of his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, to LVMH, the luxury goods company and also launched a marijuana brand.

The rapper is back in the news after selling a majority ownership stake in Tidal audio and video music streaming service to Square, a digital payment platform run by Jack Dorsey.

Square will pay a mix of cash and stock in the value of $297 million and Tidal’s superstar shareholders, including Beyoncé, Madonna and Rihanna will remain in place, making them the second-largest co-owners. Jay-Z will join Square’s board of directors.

“Why would a music streaming company and a financial services company join forces?!,” Dorsey posted on Twitter, confirming the deal. “It comes down to a simple idea: finding new ways for artists to support their work. New ideas are found at intersections, and we believe there is a compelling one between music and the economy. I knew TIDAL was something special as soon as I experienced it, and it will continue to be the best home for music, musicians, and culture.” 

In a thread, the Twitter CEO further explained: “Given what Square has been able to do for sellers of all sizes and individuals through Cash App, we believe we can now work for artists to see the same success for them, and us. We’re going to start small and focus on the most critical needs of artists and growing their fanbases.”

On his part, Jay-Z said TIDAL remains “a platform that supports artists at every point in their careers. Artists deserve better tools to assist them in their creative journey. Jack and I have had many discussions about TIDAL’s endless possibilities that have made me even more inspired about its future. This shared vision makes me even more excited to join the Square board. This partnership will be a game-changer for many. I look forward to all this new chapter has to offer!”

Jay-Z first acquired Tidal for $56 million in 2015 but the platform has since struggled to keep up with other music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. In 2017, Jay-Z announced that he was selling a stake in Tidal to Sprint, a telecoms company.

The $200 investment from Sprint was not enough to keep Tidal afloat as it still struggles to rival Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. According to Forbes, the streaming service’s financial woes have been going on for years. In 2014, it lost $10.4 million, $28 million in 2015 and then nearly $44 million in 2016.

A resource officer with the Middleton High School in Florida was dismissed earlier this week after school authorities noted that Delvin White had on multiple occasions used the n-word.

Although White is Black, authorities believe his actions did not reflect their code of conduct. The Tampa Police Department also released a statement saying usage of the n-word constituted “violations of policy that prohibit discriminatory conduct”.

But White did not use the word only while he was working. According to material sourced from his body camera, although he used it on November 30, 2020, while arresting a trespasser, White also said the n-word off duty, once while driving home and on the phone, and another time, also on the phone, with his wife.

When questioned, White reportedly told his supervisor his intention was not to derogate but rather in line with how the word is “commonly used in today’s society as a means of shared culture and experiences among the African American community”.

But Tampa Police are not buying that. Chief Brian Dugan said language as White used “jeopardize the trust that our department works to establish with our community”. But the issue is not the first to prompt a debate about who can say the word that is mostly used among Black people for the reasons White elucidated.

America has grappled with, for the last few decades, the question of restrictions in language based on race and ethnicity. Only Black people are generally expected to use the word even though the spaces in which they can exercise this privilege outside of in-group conversations, are not that many. For instance, it is rare to see Black people use the words in primetime new media and on many TV programs, even among themselves.

Professional bodies like police departments have regulations that prohibit the use of the n-word. White’s incident will however re-ignite questions back and forth, especially owing to how he claimed to have used it.

Yassin Hall is an entrepreneur who sells mainly on Amazon where she manages four successful six-figure stores. Her journey began after she took to selling clothes online following a difficult divorce.

She started Let’s Journey into Fashion after many of her social media followers showed keen interest in her business. Her website subsequently caught the attention of Amazon and she was offered the opportunity to open an e-commerce store on the platform.

One of her four Amazon stores belongs to her daughter Yamisha Young. Having become a successful seller on Amazon, she decided it was time to also share her expertise with others as the C.E.O of B.O.S.S. Amazon and Ebay Classes in a bid to help them increase their earnings or bring in extra income.

She teaches How to Set Up an eBay Store From Your Classroom to Earn Six Figures a Year; How to Sell on Amazon; Creating the Mindset for Being an Entrepreneur; and Understanding How to Manage Money.

As a mental health advocate, Hall also teaches students with learning disabilities how to be financially savvy, including her autistic daughter, who made some $155,000 when she turned 18.

“The lessons being applied in the curriculum are what I have created in my B.O.S.S. eBay and Amazon classes,” said Yassin. “Children are proving they are far more technologically advanced than we were at their age so it was no surprise that when I offered the class on August 31, within minutes about 60 students enrolled.”

Hall has made over $1 million selling online and believes that the coronavirus pandemic has taught many the need to create alternative incomes and home-based businesses. She is teaching middle and high schoolers at Genesis Preparatory Academy near Atlanta how to profit from Amazon and eBay.

“We are delighted to have found the BOSS CLASS LLC’s eBay course that aligns with our curriculum expectations that will bring awareness and exposure into entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and critical thinking,” said Iris Blevins of Genesis Preparatory Academy.

This may be Hall’s first time teaching at a school in Georgia but her bestselling book in which she chronicles her experience living with a violent bipolar schizophrenic mother has been on the curriculums of several schools as reading material.

Hall is a mother of four — three boys and one girl. She was born in the Virgin Islands as an only child. She completed Charlotte Amalie High School in 1988 and obtained her first degree in computers and fashion from the National Education Center for the Arts.

Her life journey has not been smooth but Hall has managed to weather the storm to be where she is now. God is always the center of what she does, she said.

“I firmly believe that God has been building and preparing me to be the mother, entrepreneur, business coach, teacher, speaker, writer and B.O.S.S. (Built on Self-Motivated Success) that I am today,” she told.

Besides being an entrepreneur, Hall is also known for her philanthropic activities. She made donations to hurricane victims and also supplied students in the U.S. Virgin Islands with laptops to help them attend online school amidst the pandemic.

A Black female Amazon Web Services senior manager on Monday filed a lawsuit against the trillion-dollar company and two of its executives on allegations of race and gender discrimination. Besides an additional allegation of the company flouting the Equality Pay Act, the plaintiff, in the lawsuit, also claims she was sexually harassed and assaulted by a former Amazon executive, Recode reported.

Prior to joining Amazon in 2017, the plaintiff, Charlotte Newman, previously worked for Sen. Cory Booker as his economic policy adviser. In an interview with Recode, the Harvard Business School graduate revealed the discrimination started when she was first offered a much lower role within the organizational ranks despite applying for a higher opening that she said befitted her qualifications.

After joining the company, Newman said the discrimination persisted as she was unable to rise up the organizational ranks for over a year despite performing some tasks that were above her level and also demanding a promotion from her manager. She also alleged some of her White colleagues who were on the same level as she was were promoted ahead of her despite having less working experience and not having graduate degrees. The lawsuit alleges that the period of stagnation cost her millions.

Though she was eventually promoted to a senior level in 2019, Newman claimed her first boss spoke to her in a language she believed was racially stereotypical when he addressed her about her mode of communication – using descriptions like it was “too direct”, “just scary”, and saying she “can intimidate people.”

Aside from that, Newman alleged a senior colleague by the name Andres Maz sexually harassed her on numerous occasions, claiming he went as far as seemingly proposing they have sex. Newman also recalled other separate incidents where Maz groped her by her thigh and yanked her by her hair when she was leaving a company hangout. She also said she was initially reluctant to report Maz’s alleged unprofessional advances as he was responsible for providing updates on her performance to another manager, thus making her fear there was going to be some form of retaliation from her superiors if she did so.

“There’s been deep emotional pain,” she told Recode. “All of the hard work, all of the sacrifices I made, my education — none of that saved me from someone who’s a predator and living in fear of what else he might do.”

Newman said she ultimately decided to file an official complaint against Maz and also open up on the discrimination she faced as an employee of the organization after she was spurred by the protests that happened in the country following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She said she filed the complaint in June last year, adding that she was also working from home during that period. Though Maz was eventually fired after investigations, she said she had to endure participating in virtual meetings involving him for several months while company authorities were looking into her complaints.

“At the very least, Amazon could have better safeguards in place to protect employees,” she told Recode. “A company of Amazon’s size should have clear guidelines about what happens if you report, hear what your rights are … [and] ensure that once you report you don’t have to be contacted by the person who harassed you.”

Fearing retaliation from her managers, Newman said she moved to a different department last year. Newman’s lawsuit comes after an expose from the news outlet that revealed bias and discriminatory complaints from Black Amazon employees.

“I strongly believe that Amazon should be harnessing the light of diverse leadership rather than dimming the light of Black employees and other employees of color,” she said. “For years I had been sort of suffering in silence, [but] I’m sure there are a lot of people who now feel more empowered to add their voices to the story, and hopefully there’s some real change that occurs.”

Newman said she has told representatives from the company she would only remain with the establishment for a longer period if they introduce policies that would revamp their hiring and diversity programs. She also wants a company hiring practice known as “down-leveling” to be either scrapped or reviewed.

“Amazon works hard to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture, and these allegations do not reflect those efforts or our values,” the company said in response to the lawsuit. “We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind and thoroughly investigate all claims and take appropriate action. We are currently investigating the new allegations included in this lawsuit.”

Sheila Brown walked out of WUFO in Buffalo, New York, after working at the radio station for 14 years. She left after the station changed management and their operations were not in line with her vision. Brown however plans of returning to the station had but was not sure in what capacity. After eight years, she came back and purchased the station. Today, she is the first Black woman to own a radio station in Buffalo, New York.

According to reports, she started her career at the station in the ’80s. True to her vow, Brown returned and bought the station. “I looked at the building and I waved and said, don’t worry baby, I’ll be back,’” Brown told reporters. 

It was not an easy journey for the Buffalo native who grew up in Hamlin Park. The banks did not believe in her vision and at a point, she was told to revise her business plan. Her church and Bishop had faith in her from the onset.

“I went through everything, we had banks say no like three times before they said yes, and credit unions said no your business plan needs to be updated, but True Bethel and Bishop Daris Pridgen, and they had faith in me.”

Not only has Brown taken over the station which she worked hard to get, but she has also elevated their frequency and added an FM channel to it in partnership with Power 96.5. Now the WUFO brand is reaching more folks than it has over the years.

This has made it more attractive and lucrative because advertisers know they can reach millions with the new visibility. Also, many influencers and popular DJs have walked through their doors for business.

WUFO is certainly going places under the leadership of Brown. Prominent figures are interviewed at the station and the station hosts a weekly talk with the mayor. The station runs the WUFO history collectible containing about 60 years of WUFO memorabilia.

Brown admits that being the youngest of three siblings and growing up in an extremely supportive family gave her the confidence she needs to take on the world.

She grew up wanting to pursue greater exploits. “My uncles coming to see us would go hey here comes our superstar,” she said. “Not saying it to boost me but just positive affirmation, so I never was afraid of anything I was going to do.”

Her only reservation is, it has been a long time coming for her to own the station but that should not have been the case. This only goes to show there are many aspects of our potential as Black people and women to be precise that we are yet to explore.

Vice President Kamala Harris is certainly proud to be the first Black-Asian female second in command in the country and she certainly has made it clear she does not want to be the last. The same goes for Brown who intends on using her platform to open more doors for many who aspire to step into their greatness.

“It feels good, but it’s sad in 2021 we’re still talking about the first if anything, but I’m just proud that the lord used me to be the first woman of color to own a radio station,” shared Brown. “The Vice President said she might be the first but not the last so my goal is to prep other people.”

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall have disclosed that they were forced to put a White actor in Coming to America in order to prevent the cast in the iconic 1988 movie from being all-Black.

The two comedians and actors opened up on the reason behind that directive and also explained how Louie Anderson was ultimately cast during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, Independent reported. Anderson played the character Maurice, an employee at McDowell’s. The fictional restaurant was owned by Cleo McDowell (John Allen Amos Jr.), the father of Prince Akeem’s love interest, Lisa.

“I love Louie, but I think we were forced to put Louie in it,” Hall revealed to the show’s host. “We were forced to put [in] a White person.”

“The whole cast was Black and this was back in the Eighties,” Murphy added. “So it was like ‘We have to have a White person, there has to be a White person in the movie.”

The 59-year-old continued: “I was like, ‘What?’ So who was the funniest White guy around? We knew Louie was cool, so that’s how Louie got in the movie.”

Hall said he was presented with a list of three White actors to choose from, and he opted for Louie. “It was official. I had a list. They gave me a list with three White guys. They said, ‘Who would you rather work with?’ I said ‘Louie.’”

In the first installment of the movie, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) leaves the Kingdom of Zamunda to America, where he seeks a wife. He is accompanied by his personal aide and best friend, Semmi (Arsenio Hall). For the second installment which is set to be premiered on March 5 on Amazon Prime, Prince Akeem finds out he has a son in America and travels back to Queens, NYC, with Semmi in search of the next heir of the Kingdom of Zamunda.

As previously reported, Coming 2 America features some popular Black actors and celebrities joining Murphy, Hall and some of the original cast members. The new faces in the sequel include Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan and Teyana Taylor.

For those who have insisted that organized sports and politics have no intersection points, the claim has rested on a spurious, almost uneducated conception of politics as the domain of those who make themselves available to be voted for.

Recently, the Swedish soccer star and former LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic took a dig at athletes who make it a point to voice their opinions on political matters, singling out Los Angeles Lakers’ Lebron James for criticism.

“[LeBron] is phenomenal at what he’s doing, but I don’t like it when people have some kind of status, they go and do politics at the same time. Do what you’re good at. Do the category you do. I play football because I’m the best at playing football,” the 39-year-old soccer star had said.

To this, James responded after a Lakers game. He defended his stances as well as his understanding of politics, which Ibrahimovic seems to understand as an occupation of politicians. James made the point that politics is not an aspect of our lived experience that gets to be detached from anything else. All of our experiences are happening in a political space.

The NBA champion told the press: “I preach about my people and I preach about equality. Social injustice, racism, systematic voter suppression, things that go on in our community. There is no way I will ever just stick to sports because I know with this platform, how powerful my voice is.”

It is not the first time James or any other Black American athlete has had to defend their political stances against those who think that sports happens outside any understanding of politics. Colin Kaepernick in the last few years comes to mind and he will not be the last. But what if those who attack politically-conscious athletes are only attacking out of bad faith and not necessarily ignorance?

And if they attacked out of ignorance and are then served a response that clarifies matters, are they not acting out of bad faith doubling down? Ibrahimovic, who has created a stern and stubborn reputation on and off the soccer pitch, certainly did not see the lessons James and others gave in their responses to him.

Even after James had brought up Ibrahimovic’s own lamentations about how his Swedish identity is constantly under question due to his Muslim Bosnian roots, the soccer player would not be taught. He subsequently resorted to a bizarre bifurcation of racism and politics.

“Racism and politics are two different things. We athletes unite the world, politics divides the world. Everyone is welcome, it has nothing to do with where you are from, we do what we do to unite,” Ibrahimovic doubled down. It seems inconceivable to believe that Ibrahimovic does not comprehend that “where you are from” is a matter of political identity.

Ibrahimovic has enjoyed and endured a 21-year soccer career that and he is a man who has been called upon many times by global organizations as well as his country to act as a goodwill ambassador, among which included ending child hunger. It is baffling that a man who has had many conversations to this extent with diplomats and politicians does not understand social justice’s place in the realm of politics. Only two conclusions can be drawn from this confusion – it’s either Ibrahimovic is acting out of bad faith or he has learned nothing from all of his work over these years with UNICEF and others.

When Laura Ingraham of FOX News came for James a few years ago and told him to “shut and dribble”, at least, it was clear she was only bitter that the most famous active basketball player in the world did not support the politician she adored. She had no qualms when under athletes voiced their support for Trump.

But it is James who has to advice himself and stop responding to these attacks going forward. They will not die down and no amount well-intentioned responses would help. Bad faith and and determined ignorance can be inexhaustible spirits.

The majority of Blacks and other minority groups are underserved and underbanked in America. The situation has been attributed to the fact that few banks operate in Black communities. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in a report noted that Black and Hispanic households are more likely to be unbanked or underbanked. 

It found that more than 15 million colored people did not use America’s formal banking system in a survey published in 2015. However, according to the Center for Financial Services Innovation, underserved people in 2016 spent $173 billion in interest and fees. 

Two Black entrepreneurs have set out to address this challenge. Darnell Parker, founder of Ingenious Financial, and Derek Taylor, Chief Operating Officer of Ingenious Financial, have announced plans to raise $200 million to purchase an existing bank to serve underserved and underbanked communities.

Parker and Taylor say the rationale for wanting to purchase an existing bank is to avoid the strict regulations and other challenges that come with starting a bank from scratch.

“When larger financial institutions absorbed some of the minority deposit institutions banks, they left a tremendous void for these banks, who previously served minority communities by providing small to medium-sized business loans,” Parker says.

Minority banks have long been considered innovators in the banking industry, Parker says, adding that they play a significant role in the economic empowerment of minority groups. “But in recent years, they have not always managed to keep up with technological advances,” he said.

The new acquisition will be named Bank of Ingenious and its primary focus will be on supporting underserved retail and business customers who need loans, specifically targeting independent physicians, dentists, veterinarians and similar professional services providers.

Additional details of the bank’s operation include operating with a small physical presence and setting up branches at institutions that are needed. Its operations will also be migrated online to meet current demands and dynamics.

Parker and Taylor plan to complete the acquisition of their first bank by the end of the third quarter and acquire more in the fourth quarter and in 2021. So far, they are meeting prospective targets and are looking for a bank within a metropolitan area with between $50 million and $600 million in assets.

“We hope that this investment will sustain African American financial institutions in the American history, foster popular, engaging workflows, and bring innovation to every client, customer and community we serve,” Parker says.

Two Cameroonian dads living in Quebec are bringing a much-needed representation into the doll industry. Upon realizing that many stores did not have Black dolls or they were either stacked at the back of shelves when shopping for toys, they decided to make their own.

The Quebec-based dads, Gaëtan Etoga and Yannick Nguepdjop, after doing a lot of groundworks and research, launched their own doll company, Ymma, in November, according to HuffPost Quebec.

The main aim of the company is to introduce children to the world’s diverse communities while they play with these dolls. Although the Ymma dolls are mostly Black and mixed-race, the daddy-duo say their products are meant for children of all ethnic backgrounds.

Even for a big cosmopolitan city like Montreal, there were some obvious loopholes in terms of diversity and inclusion especially when it comes to toys, the fathers observed.

The dads did not want their children growing up with an identity problem. “We want Black kids to have toys that look like them. We want to inspire them, build their self-esteem, their self-confidence, and make them understand they are beautiful the way God created them.”

Children develop their social skills from a tender age. Ymma’s intentions are for these kids to embrace all races and be exposed to diversity from the onset and what better way to do this than through afro-loving and African print wearing Black and mixed-race dolls which retail for $20.

This is crucial because studies conducted in the 1940s by doctors Kenneth and Mamie Clark have shown that children naturally gravitate towards white dolls when presented with the two. A more recent one undertaken in 2010 reaffirms the findings of the earlier study, which should not be the case, according to Etoga.

Being Black or mixed-race should not make anyone feel unseen. That is why Ymma is on a mission to normalize what should have been normalized a long time ago, making sure Black and mixed-race children feel more seen and more accepting of who they are.

“I think certain parts of society dictate to them that their hair and their noses are ugly,” Etoga told HuffPost Québec. “But what we want to tell them is that that isn’t true.”

The dads are also paying homage to their native home’s culture through the names of the dolls, their natural hairstyles, and the traditional Cameroonian ensemble worn by them.

The names of each doll, Priso, Beri, and Sadi, originate from Douala, a town in their Central African Nation, where they are originally from.

Aside from staying connected to their roots, they are also creating wealth for the locals in their hometown as all the fabrics and outfits worn by the dolls are produced in Cameroon.

Etoga explained that the blue top pattern used for some of the outfits is traditionally used in Cameroon during large ceremonies. The black, yellow, and orange circular pattern ‘toghu’ used for some other outfits are also usually used by Cameroonians in the northwest of the country. The dolls come with outfits, but extra ones can be purchased and sold separately for $10.

Determined to make a difference wherever they find themselves, all Ymma’s packaging is done locally in Quebec to contribute to the local economy which has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We hope to see our dolls in every household in the world,” the ambitious entrepreneurs said.

“We want to be the reference for diverse dolls. It’s true we are a business, but it’s not just about selling dolls. It’s about change. Kids are the future; we want to make the world a better place for them.”