'BROWN SUGAR DREAMS FOR LITTLE BROWN GIRLS

Organizers Ask For Supporters To Help Promote Positive Self-Awarness Through Baby Dolls.




GQ Media & Public Relations, Inc. is launching two programs in the U.S. in support of the South African-based project, BROWN SUGAR DREAMS FOR LITTLE BROWN GIRLS.

The main purpose of Brown Sugar Dreams is to foster positive self-awareness and image in South African black girls through the tool of play.

The organizers are requesting supporters help through the donation of brown baby dolls to support the project's main desire of helping these little girls celebrate the skin they are in against the backdrop of a fast growing "western" culture.

Supplying the brown baby dolls is a way of helping them to be proud of who they are and a re-confirmation of the celebration of self.

During a trip to South Africa , Gwendolyn Quinn, President of GQ Media and Public Relations - at the suggestion of mutual friend Vivian Scott Chew - met with Gail Hamilton Masondo, a U.S. citizen now living in South Africa and one of the founders of Brown Sugar Dreams. Hamilton Masondo shared with Quinn that there are very few, hardly any, brown baby dolls currently in South African toy shops. Following that discussion, Quinn (a doll collector herself) decided that she wanted to become a U.S. representative for the project and participate in this profound exchange program.

"After sharing communications with Gail and hearing the passion in her voice about this project and discussing the emotional and psychological affects this has on our sweet little girls, I immediately took up the charge to get involved," says Quinn. "It is a perfect fit for me and my ministry," Quinn adds. "I fell in love with South Africa and the people there. This gives me the opportunity to stay connected to the people, land and culture.

Although the U.S. initiative is being launched during this holiday season, the project will be an ongoing effort, 365 days a year, and will correspond to holidays and special events in South Africa .

One program will be designed for individuals and groups, including church and faith-based organizations, sororities, civic organizations, non-profits, corporations, community groups, etc. The second program will be directed and geared towards female celebrity talent and their on-going participation. To date, the project has received dolls from Oleta Adams, Cece Winans and Dionne Warwick, among others.

The female celebrities will be responsible for soliciting and collecting dolls, as well as incurring the shipping costs to South Africa . The tag for the campaign is titled "[Talent Name] for Brown Sugar Dreams -- South African Project" will be credited and listed in all marketing, promotional and PR materials on behalf of the project.

Groups interested in participating will also be responsible for shipping dolls to South Africa. Individuals who would like to get involved with the project can send their doll(s) for shipping to GQ Media & Public Relations, 1650 Broadway, Suite 1011 , New York , NY 10019 -- Attention: Brown Sugar Dreams Project, 212-765-7910.

Specifically the organizers are requesting baby dolls, "No Barbie dolls," states Hamilton Masondo. "We are looking for BABY dolls that look like our little girls, not teenage looking dolls, with lots of long down to your knees hair. We want soft body dolls that can be cuddled and held closely and slept with." All dolls should be lead and toxic free.

"There is a whole generation of South African girls (ages 4-16) growing up without the gift of 'mommy nurturing,'" according to Hamilton Masondo. "The average age and heads of households [because of HIV/AIDS related diseases] are 12 years of age and some younger -- it may not be a direct result, but we are finding younger girls falling pregnant, carrying the baby full term, delivering the baby on their own and then throwing the babies away in fields, trash cans, out houses -- and these babies LIVE!"

"Every girl child is not raped, poor or from a rural community who throw their newborn babies away, most come from every background that exists here in the new South Africa -- black, white, poor, middle class or privileged," says Hamilton Masondo. "If, through the Brown Sugar Dreams for Little Brown Girls Project, we can also begin the process of introducing nurturing and parenting skills to our little girls now to help save one life later, it will be worth it. This also gives us a door to speak of options for example, giving the baby away for adoption rather than throwing a life away."

Brown Sugar Dreams for Little Brown Girls began just seven short months ago. Schulya Goodson, a co-founder and board member, came up with the idea for the project when she was looking for a brown doll for her then 6-year-old daughter in toy shops in South Africa . She asked her friends in the Delta Sigma Theta sorority to get involved once she noticed there were few, if any, brown dolls in the South African toy shops. About the same time that Goodson was looking for her child's birthday gift, Hamilton Masondo saw a little 5-year-old black girl walking down the street in Johannesburg , carrying a little white baby doll on her back - emulating the South African custom of women within the black community carrying little children on their backs. It was only after arriving home that it hit Hamilton Masondo that there was something wrong with the picture she had just witnessed. It was not uncommon to see little girls playing with old hand me down white baby dolls, but what really struck a nerve was the idea that there needed to be a different message for little black girls as they are imitating their mothers and grandmothers - that there should be a brown baby doll in place of the white doll on their backs.

"Through this project, we hope to encourage these little girls to dream about something other than growing up to be a domestic worker as their mothers, grandmothers and aunties before them, but to desire to grow up and get into the 'child care' business as a teacher, caregiver, or owner of her own nursery school and not to settle and think she can do nothing else," says Hamilton Masondo. "Hopefully the project will plant a seed in these little girls that receive a little brown baby doll, and will serve to remind them that they can be and do anything."

The concept for the project derived from a music project Hamilton Masondo created for black children in the states. She had written a song for a project titled, BROWN SUGAR DREAMS, when the company she worked with - Warner Brothers Records - did a special project just before she decided to marry and move to South Africa from the United States . While having a conversation with Goodman (her friend and future co-founder of the project), the two decided that the name seemed to fit the purpose behind the project. In addition, it would allow for a greater depth of involvement in many other areas directed at positive affirmation for both brown boys and girls in South Africa .

Get involved, donate a brown baby doll and help little brown girls in South Africa celebrate the 'earth suit' God has put us each in. If we can plant this seed in these little girls now, there is better chance of having self-confident young women in South Africa 's future.

The South African Board Members of Brown Sugar Dreams for Little Brown Girls include Kim Robinson, Schuyla Goodson, Netsuke Massillon, Rochelle Newhart, Julia Lynn Walker, Judith Espuma, Sis Lamina and Gail Masondo.

source: gwendolynquinn@aol.com and gqmediapr@yahoo.com