ATLANTA — Zoe Oli, 11, will never forget the moment it was time for her to change the world.
“It was when I was 6 years old. I came home from school and asked my mom, ‘Why is my hair like this? I don’t like my hair,’” Zoe said.
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She didn’t think her natural hair was pretty. Her mom Evana tried to make her feel better. She bought Zoe a doll.
“Giving a young Black girl a doll that looks like her really is a statement,” Evana said.
But Evana says back then there weren’t any dolls of color with curls. So mom decided to make one.
Channel 2 Action News first introduced you to Zoe last year, as Beautiful Curly Me was just getting off the ground. Zoe is the CEO, and the best selling doll is named Bella. That’s Italian for beautiful.
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“And she is based off me. So she has a full head of curls,” Zoe said.
Things have been happening fast since the Channel 2 Action News story. They moved to a larger warehouse and went on the Kelly Clarkson Show and Good Morning America. They’re printing books and making puzzles. And they just received a $10,000 small business grant from Verizon.
Zoe has received photos from all over the world from little girls with their little dolls.
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“Getting a doll that looks like you inspires you. It builds confidence and makes you feel like you can do this,” Zoe said.
Last year, Zoe donated 1,000 dolls to Atlanta area homeless shelters and foster homes. The project this year is called, “Buy one, give one.” For every doll purchased, they will donate one for little girls living in shelters or foster homes. The goal is 10,000 dolls. To learn more, click here.
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