Douglas Digital Kids
“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children”
said Nelson Mandela.
Children are our nations’ future and tomorrow’s citizens, that is why it is essential to start teaching them moral values while they’re still young.
With the rise of new technologies, children are spending more time than ever in front of screens. It is particularly affecting the Black and Hispanic communities in the United States, where “Black and Hispanic children consume nearly 4½ hours more media daily than white children (13 hours of total media exposure for Hispanics, 12:59 for Blacks, and 8:36 for Whites), according to Tufts University.
Despite the fact that Black and Hispanic kids are consuming more television than their peers, white characters are still dominating the media industry. Media plays a huge role in the acceptance of racial diversity and understanding of different cultures. Because children identify with television characters, it is more important than ever to make sure that the images children are seeing on television are a proper reflection of their real environments and it is paramount to give them something to aspire to.
Julie Obaso, our Aspiring Entrepreneur
Our Accelerator Hub finalist, Julie Obaso, with her startup Douglas Digital Kids would like to fill this gap in the marketplace. The aim of her project is to create and showcase animated content and stories for Black children.
Douglas Digital Kids is an interactive platform that is formatted as a cartoon series featuring various Black and African characters from around the world.
Black American and African kids will therefore receive a fresh, redefined perspective and narrative of themselves, that is traditionally not shown on media screens in America and around the world. Not only will the series entertain, but it will enhance learning, literacy and self-esteem skills of Black children in America and the African diaspora. While Douglas Digital Kids will help alleviate a lack of sufficient diversity in the children’s entertainment sector, it will also benefit white children, who will be exposed to a diverse range of voices, cultures and perspectives.
In addition to helping young kids, this platform will also provide a place for Black content creators to display their talents to the community. Douglas Digital Kids will be a means for Black animators and content creators to tell their stories in their own voices, to showcase their talent and innovative art in an authentic, uplifting and meaningful way.
Positive Planet US Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the US
Julie is a driven entrepreneur who would like to “raise representation in her community and uplift her community through positive initiatives”. She applied to the Positive Planet Accelerator Hub in order to build a solid foundation for her business, and develop her project to its highest potential. Our Accelerator Hub is a tailored coaching program that was developed to jumpstart these types of new initiatives operationally, providing them with structured business education and hands-on experience to help them evaluate market opportunities.
We at Positive Planet are proud to support Julie in taking her business to the next level and helping minority children finally have their voice represented in the media industry. Douglas Digital Kids will help children of color improve their self confidence, gain a better understanding of their cultural heritage, and dream bigger.
