Hero Of The Day: Zoe Terry Wants To " Let Little Brown Girls Know That Their Image Is Beautiful "

[Sugar Cookie]

Meet the 11-year-old philanthropist and entrepreneur who is collecting and donating dolls of color to little girls in need, telling ABC News that she wanted to "let little brown girls know that their image is beautiful."

Zoe Terry, 11, and her mother, Nakia Bowling, launched the nonprofit "Zoe's Dolls" in 2011 when Zoe was just 5 years old. The group gives out dolls of color to young girls whose families may not otherwise be able to afford them.

"I started Zoe’s Dolls when I was 5 years old because at that time, I was bullied because the color of my skin and because my hair was so puffy," Zoe told ABC News.

"It really made me feel really bad," she added of the bullying. "It made me feel like I couldn’t do anything."

Bowling, Zoe's mother, told ABC News that she tried to turn the bullying Zoe experienced into a teachable moment and encouraged her to be confident in her own skin.

"When she was bullied, she said, 'I’m not going to let this get me down. I’m going to do something positive about it,'" Bowling said. "She doesn’t let her situation determine her outcome, she determines her outcome."

Zoe then decided to do something to help make sure no other little girls ever felt the same way she did.

"I really wanted to find a way where I can let little brown girls know that their image is beautiful no matter what anyone else says," Zoe said. "And I thought, 'Dolls in their image would be a great way to show them that.'"

"I think its important that everyone gets a doll that looks like them," Zoe added.

Her work has sparked an important conversation at her school.

"Not only does she spread a message of diversity and inclusion," Karen Davis, a teacher at Zoe's school said. "She really does feel that we are all beautiful."

Zoe told ABC News that she wants "every little brown girl" to "know that nothing is impossible."

"The word itself says I’m possible," she added.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/bullied-11-year-girl-now-inspires-girls-love/story?id=53127539

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[Keepalowprofile]

<3 beautiful

 

[MildlyMedicated]

:hattip:Way to Go ZOE !

 

[Prelude to Ruin]

Thanks for posting this...tough day in the DD.

 

[Ripley]

I’ve been on DD too long— I cringed at the headline! Phew.

 

[cubby]

What a wonderful little girl.<3

 

[McDanel]

Impossible? I'm possible!

Brilliant!

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Zoe Terry is a junior at Miami Country Day School in Miami, Florida. Zoe serves as the founder of Zoe's Dolls and has been working on Zoe's Dolls for almost 12 years, ever since she was bullied for the color of her skin and the texture of her hair. Since then, she's worked to build an organization that has promoted positive Black body images by giving away thousands of Black dolls through chapters around the country and abroad. She has also cultivated programs that empower Black youth domestically and internationally by giving them a platform to amplify their collective voices.

In addition to founding Zoe's Dolls, she started a chapter of Zoe's Dolls at her school. She serves as the president of the Zoe's Dolls Club at her school (she started the club four years ago). She also helps direct the activities of the club at her school and at three other Zoe's Dolls Clubs that were started at different schools. Zoe wants to "create an environment that views Black girls as equals" and a platform where people can "learn about . . . the struggles Black people have had to overcome."

Zoe is also the current co-president of the Black Student Union at her majority white school and has helped other students of color find their voices at the school. She was instrumental in helping open the school's facilities for swimming lessons for children in the African-American community after researching the history of access to public swimming pools and the prevalence of drowning deaths among children of color. Zoe has been credited with helping to de-escalate tensions between various communities at her school and helps everyone feel proud of themselves.

Zoe has been recognized domestically and internationally for her efforts in race relations. Most recently Zoe was honored with a proclamation naming October 19 "Zoe Terry and Zoe's Dolls Day" in Miami-Dade County

Zoe Terry

Zoe serves as the founder of Zoe's Dolls, an organization that has promoted positive Black body images by giving away thousands of Black dolls through chapters around the country and abroad.

pprize.princeton.edu