Submitted by Dana Hall, The Black Doll Affair.
The Black Doll Affair introduces ‘The Black & White Doll Affair,’ a modern sub-club that focuses on multiracial friendships. National Women’s Friendship Day is Sunday, September 18th. To celebrate this occasion, on Friday, September 16h, Dana Hill, also known as “Mama Doll”, the Founder of the award winning social club The Black Doll Affair (TBDA), will launch the new club that celebrates ‘friends beyond the color of skin’™.
In 2007, Hill created TBDA as an empowerment social club for Black women & girls and as a solution to ‘Doll Tests’ where Black children identified the black doll as bad, ugly and least preferred. The members of TBDA are The Black Dolls, The Porcelain (Doll) Pals and Black Doll Brothas, collectively trademarked as “The Black Dolls.” Generally, The Dolls. During The Dolls’ social club events, they wear the signature Doll T-shirt and bring toy black dolls to donate to children. Those dolls are gifted to little girls to empower them and inspire them to reverse Doll Tests results. This ceremony is called “Be a Doll, give a doll” and has garnered the recognition of the Barbie brand and Barack Obama, as the group received his Presidential Service Award for their work throughout the country.
Moving into new territory, both literally and figuratively speaking, Hill moved to Tacoma, WA, from TBDA HQ in Atlanta in 2020. With a desire to modernize her nationwide club, Hill decided to launch a playground (chapter) that focuses on friendship beyond skin color. Launching on Friday, September 16, 2022 at 7:30 PMPST, “The Black & White Doll Affair” (TBWDA) will be a celebratory club for interracial friends to play, as well as provide a space for new friendships to form. From local philanthropic adventures to get-together getaways, TBWDA will roll out Affairs that promote racial harmony. McCallum & Son’s Whisky Co. is hosting the evening where a diverse group of friends will enjoy whiskey tastings and good vibrations. Showcasing friendship between Black & White, Hill chose whiskey flights from Uncle Nearest and Free Land Spirits. Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green was the enslaved African-American man who played a significant role in the life of Jack Daniel. Friends, Nearest taught Jack the art of whiskey distillation. Together, Jack and Nearest began an iconic Tennessee Whiskey brand in America. An Oregon-based craft distillery, Free Land Spirits celebrates the interracial friendships between the women of the craft. From the gals who grow the grain to those who run the still, they are creating superior spirits that celebrate all the Northwest has to offer.
Special bonds of friendship between Blacks & Whites have always existed. However, those types of friendships are not trending. The world is blending and racism is shifting, yet you wouldn’t know it by watching popular news shows and social media sites that pit us against each other. Nowadays, it seems calling a white woman a ‘Karen’ or a Black woman a ‘Keisha’ is the preferred narrative. But Hill, a disruptor of dumbed-down narratives, literally sees things differently. “My family and friendship circles mirror a U.N. gathering. Getting together in a room full of love beyond our differences always feels right. Our Porcelain Pals, members who are not Black, have always been staunch supporters. So this concept isn’t foreign to us. It’s more of a focus on the friendship between us. I’m known for being a maverick and going beyond society’s status quo. So, this is that,” said Hill.
Both natives of Oklahoma living and working in Tacoma, Mama Doll asked her friend and Tacoma’s Police Chief, Avery Moore, to be on hand to usher in this new day and sub-club of TBDA. As the “Chief Usher of Dolls,” Chief Moore will meet and greet guests and cut the ribbon at the launch party. He will be named an Honorary Black Doll Brotha, joining the ranks of other Honorary Dolls, including actor Taye Diggs, Emmy Award Winning Producer Danny Strong, Naomi King (MLK’s sister-in-law), Cheryl Brown (Brown vs. Board), Senator Nan Orrock, ballerina Misty Copeland and actress Gabrielle Union. Chief Moore is elated to be a member within the family of living Dolls. “Tacoma is one of the most racially diverse cities in Washington State. Everyone has a voice. Everyone is important and we must ALL do the work to experience unity in our community. Dana’s doing the work. It’s my honor to usher The Black & White Doll Affair into the City of Destiny,” said Moore.
Carrying the torch of blending the color lines, Jessica Johnston is the biracial granddaughter of former Pierce County Assessor, Ken Johnston Jr. She’s also the first official Black Doll of Tacoma, co-host and Ambassadoll (ambassador) of The Black & White Doll Affair. “Celebrating the similarities and differences that make us the unique women we are. I’m both honored and excited to be in the position to help evolve the movement in Tacoma,” said Johnston.
On the Friday before National Women’s Friendship Day, The Black & White Doll Affair will launch Friday, September 16, 2022, at 7:30 pm at McCallum & Son’s Whisky Company in downtown Tacoma. Guys & Dolls (party guests), get dolled up in black or white cocktail attire or a combination of the two colors. If you and your friends would like to attend, tickets and full details are available on blackdollaffair.com. Those unable to participate in Tacoma are invited to join this playdate online. Wherever you are in the world, gather with your circle of friends and throughout the weekend, capture your playdate in pictures and post them on social media using the official hashtag #bwdollfriends. Follow the Dolls’ party updates on their Instagram @blackandwhitedollaffair.
ABOUT THE BLACK DOLL AFFAIR:
In 2007, Dana Hill, Founder of The Black Doll Affair and better known as Mama Doll, witnessed a doll test on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Horrified that Black children were choosing the black doll as bad, ugly and least preferred, she created what was supposed to be a one-time Christmas party to remind Black women and girls of their worth. Now in its 16th season of doll giveaways and parties to empower women & girls and because of their philanthropic acts in communities across the country, The Black Dolls were invited to the White House to receive President Barack Obama’s Presidential Service Award and were recognized by the late Congressman John Lewis and the Senate House. They were invited to Georgia’s capital to receive a Proclamation for their own day on the calendar. They became the largest consumer group of Black Barbie and diversity partners with the world’s largest department store and doll maker – Macy’s & Mattel. Wanting to change the look of the models in top fashion magazines, Mama Doll created the “Modolls” program that placed The Black Dolls in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Essence and Oprah. The Black Dolls and their Affairs are in college textbooks about self-attributes. Mama Doll has brought on celebrities as honorary members to help her announce the Dolls and their cause, including Linda & Cheryl Brown of Brown vs. Board of Education; Naomi King – Dr. King’s sister-in-law; actress and author Gabrielle Union; the melanated Goddess Khoudia Diop; ballerina Misty Copeland; Hollywood actor and producer Danny Strong; and actor and author Taye Diggs. Because of her work, Mama Doll was named a “Living Legacy” by the Association for the Study of African American Life & History, Inc. – founded by the creator of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson. When Prince Harry made Meghan Markle his Princess, The Black Doll Affair movement garnered an international boost as ABC Primetime, Time Life and People Magazine featured them in their wedding documentary, “The Story of the Royals.” Annually, the first Saturday of December marks their ‘Black Doll USA Giveaways.’ Learn more about The Black Dolls and their Affairs online at: blackdollaffair.com
As a long-time business owner in Tacoma, I can tell you that nothing brings people together like a business interaction, where a mutual interest in a type of product transcends personal bias.
Some of the best friendships emerge from these interactions.
City leadership should better-appreciate what the business community does to bring people together and create unity.
A shout-out to city leadership: “We could use a little more love and less heavy hand too”.