As Black girls, the color of our skin and hair is where we learn to find our liberation in a world that has attempted to ostracize its beauty.
This harsh reality was true for baby boss, Esi Orijin. As AfroTech previously reported, during her time at private school she felt like a needle in a haystack as the only Black girl in her class. The lack of representation led her to fall into a season where she lacked confidence — subsequently leading her to dislike her features such as her skin tone and hair texture.
Her mother, Melissa Orijin — aiming to combat self-confidence issues Black women encounter — launched Orijin Bees (“Our Representation Is Just Inclusion Normalized Beautifully Empowering Every Soul”) alongside her daughter.
The doll line aims to validate the beauty of Black girls’ culture and identity while celebrating the variations in skin tones, hair textures and sizes.
“A]s a purpose driven brand, we are determined to help broaden the view of beauty to include black and brown girls of every shade and hair texture…As a mother, I felt I had to do more for my kids, my family, my friends, and also for the many kids out there who I’ve never met but who I know struggle the way Esi did, not seeing others like themselves in their classrooms or even among their toys at home,” Melissa said, according to Essence.
Now the brand has expanded to one of the largest retailers in the world. The Baby Bee Collection can now be purchased exclusively through Target’s online store, Essence reports. The collection features 12 dolls sold at a set price of $49.99.
Target’s newest partnership is a part of their $2 billion pledge to support Black-owned businesses by 2025, as AfroTech previously reported. To honor its commitment, Target will continue to diversify its shelves by housing products from over 500 Black-owned businesses across its multi-category assortment.
