The 6th Black Doll Expo this September
Operation Sankofa today announced it will host the Sixth Black Doll Expo on Saturday, September 13th 2014 at The BRIX St. Matthew’s Church, Brixton Hill, London SW2 1JF. Tickets are available on the day – £5 for adults and £3 for children over 5 years and young people up to 16 years. All proceeds go to promotions and research about black dolls.
The 6th Black Doll Expo is an informative, thought provoking, and fun event reflecting the theme: ‘WHAT MAKES ME BEAUTIFUL?’
All visitors are welcome and encouraged to arrive early and take advantage of free face-painting, glitter tattoo, beauty treatment tasters, raffle, original art works, prints, books, & sharing of stories about Black dolls.
The 2014 event brings a true commitment to uplifting African and Caribbean cultural heritage and identity, as well as a push to enhancing African and Caribbean children’s self-esteem. It is bringing critique and insight about the value and importance of culturally specific play and learning materials and resources in the British commercial sector.
This event is a unique opportunity for family and friends to share, celebrate, and promote Black Dolls alongside a host of international Black doll creators, collectors & vendors from the UK, France, Senegal, and USA, including Poupees des Tropiques, AfroToys, Queen Healer, Muatta Books, and ‘Ebony Eyes’; these and more have travelled far and wide to share their passion for ‘Black Dolls’.
Ama Gueye, founder of Operation Sankofa, says "many parents or guardians of African and Caribbean descent have difficulties finding dolls which they or their children could describe as looking ‘just like me’. They have discovered that there are very few African and Caribbean dolls in the British market, and the ones that are available are often imported from America and elsewhere.
This year’s event will feature a presentation by Toyin Agbetu – self-confessed ‘community educator and guerrilla film maker’ and director and producer of the new and popular film "Beauty Is…" which examines answers to the question of what is beauty from a philosophical perspective, from discussions on hair, skin shade, body image, and character. Toyin will also be highlighting the objectives behind the campaign to make skin bleaching of children illegal.
The event will be filmed and photographed.