A Mother's Mission to Create Dolls that Celebrate Asian Heritage and Address Lack of Representation in the Toy Industry - AHN Media Group
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August 21, 2023

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When COVID-19 forced Samantha Lee to put her wedding photography/videography business on hold, she seized the opportunity to cherish precious moments with her one-year-old daughter.

As news of the alarming increase in Anti-Asian hate spread, Samantha became deeply concerned about the world her daughter would grow up in.

Born in Malaysia to Chinese parents, Samantha’s family made the life-changing decision to relocate to Australia when she was just eight months old, motivated by her father’s aspiration for a better life. Growing up, Samantha only had blonde dolls to play with, so she wanted to be like her blonde classmates. She thought that they were so lucky to be born that way. 

She wanted differently for her daughter, so she embarked on a quest to find dolls that represented their Asian heritage to help her daughter feel proud of her Asian identity. However, Samantha was disheartened by the lack of diversity and representation available in the toy industry when she couldn’t find any.

Fuelled by a passionate desire to make a difference, Samantha resolved to create dolls that would empower Asian children and celebrate the vibrant tapestry of Asian cultures. Starting with six cultures, Samantha’s goal was to expand her collection to represent as many cultures as possible, including underrepresented regions like Southeast Asia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Now, after months of hard work and unwavering dedication, Samantha’s dolls, Joeydolls, are finally ready to be ordered. These dolls embody the beauty and traditions of various Asian cultures, instilling a sense of pride and confidence in children.

Join us as we delve into the inspiring story of Samantha Lee, who, in an exclusive interview with Asian Hustle Network, shares her journey in creating Joeydolls.

LACK OF REPRESENTATION IN DOLLS

When I was growing up, I grew up with only blonde dolls and only saw the same on TV. I remember thinking that I was so envious of my classmates at school – that they were so lucky to be both that way. I also remember thinking that I could never be a princess or a famous actress. Not seeing myself represented meant that I always felt like I was not good enough the way I was, that I didn’t really matter, and that I was only meant to be on the sidelines. 

When I witnessed the rise in anti-Asian hate, I was scared for the world my daughter would grow up in. I began to reflect upon my own experience. I didn’t want her to feel the same shame I grew up with. Since we were in lockdowns during the pandemic, my daughter couldn’t play with other children so I started to look for dolls that could be her companion. Most of the dolls only had fair skin and black hair and they were considered “Asian”. I just couldn’t connect to them, especially since I also experienced colorism while pregnant. I was told that it would be better if my daughter was born with my husband’s fair skin and my eyes (double eyelids). I was really disheartened by the continued concept of beauty in the Asian community. 

Around that time, we celebrated my daughter’s first year birthday by putting her in traditional Chinese and Korean outfits and I wondered why dolls didn’t do the same. I wanted her to not only feel comfortable with who she is, how she looks, and where she comes from. 

THESE DOLLS ARE MORE THAN JUST DOLLS FOR PEOPLE, THEY ARE PART OF THEIR STORY AND THEIR HEALING

I faced a lot of challenges in creating the dolls. I didn’t know anything about producing a doll – or a toy for that matter. I also had no experience in fashion or sewing. I was just a mom who wanted to make a difference. It was hard to find the resources since I also had no contacts in the industry.

I started with the concept of doing 6 ethnicities and then expand in the future. I wanted to make sure that Southeast Asia was represented since they have been underrepresented for so long. Initially, I wanted the dolls to have different skin tones to pick from for each ethnicity, however, it was so difficult to do so on a mass scale.

I was also surprised at how difficult it was to find the right shades for the skin tones and at the same time keep costs low since my production numbers were not large enough. As I was losing so many of my contracts in my photography business, I didn’t have a sustained and reliable income to be able to support this passion project. So I really tried to develop the dolls on a shoestring budget. 

I wanted to start the prototyping and manufacturing process locally but the costs got exponentially larger especially when it was so difficult to find the fabrics and materials we needed. We were so limited in what we were able to source so that’s when I began to look overseas. 

I began developing the dolls with one company that gave a very good price for the dolls, but they had a lot of trouble finding the right skin tone and couldn’t do the hair like we wanted. Then, we found another company that was able to do the skin tones and hair we wanted, but I found that their quality was not acceptable. Quality was very important to me because I really wanted people to feel proud to have these dolls and what they represented.

I often posted to Instagram about my progress and people would respond by saying that they teared up seeing them. I knew that these dolls are more than just dolls for people, they are part of their story and their healing. So many people said that they would have so loved having these dolls when they were younger and it would have helped them feel better about themselves. That’s exactly what I wanted these dolls to do for people – to help them feel that they are worthy in this world. 

It took a lot of dedication to learn each of the cultures and the symbolism behind some of the traditional details. I also wanted the dolls to be safe for babies to have as well, so that’s where I struggled with keeping the details accurate, cost-effective, and most importantly safe for all children. There was a lot of back and forth and redesigning. We went through countless prototypes and so many times I wanted to give up because I felt that I was not up to the task to complete it.

I had to remind myself of my “why”. I decided that instead of trying to hide behind social media, I would be vulnerable and talk about the struggles behind developing these dolls. I was worried that people would tell me to just give up, but instead, they gave me so many messages of support. They pushed me to keep going and told me how much they appreciated what I was doing. That these dolls make such an impact on them! I knew I had to keep going. So I kept pushing. These dolls are not only for my children but also for the other children who NEED these dolls.

YES, WE ARE ASIAN BUT WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE US SPECIAL AND UNIQUE

I hope that children will see the dolls and feel proud to learn more about their heritage and also just be comfortable in their own skin. I hope that it helps parents teach their children how worthy they are. I hope that the dolls will help foster positive self-esteem and self-confidence. 

I want to change the narrative – that Asians are not a monolith. Yes, we are Asian but we have so many qualities that make us special and unique. So in doing so, I also hope that these dolls will help create more awareness and education about Asian diversity. That each of our cultures is not the same. That each should be celebrated. 

I hope that our dolls can be a stark contrast to the hate. That’s why I created the campaign #StartAsianLove instead.

CHILDREN AND ADULTS WILL FINALLY FEEL INCLUDED AND REPRESENTED BY DOLLS THAT RESEMBLED THEM

Even when my daughters couldn’t speak, their faces would light up and they would giggle with delight as I designed the dolls on my computer. It was a heartwarming experience, even during moments when I wasn’t fully satisfied with the prototypes. I would hide them around the house or in my office, and my daughters would discover them, hugging and kissing the dolls as if they were their dear companions. The sheer joy they exhibited upon seeing those happy doll faces was truly priceless.

When my youngest daughter Jasmine turned 1, we dressed her in a traditional hanbok. To my delight, my oldest daughter Joey pointed at the Korean doll and exclaimed, “It looks like Jasmine!” On another occasion, she referred to the same doll as a “princess.” It was a deeply touching moment for me because I had never imagined that Asians, including myself, could be seen as princesses.

The feedback I received from parents further affirmed the impact of my work. One parent expressed gratitude for creating a different world for their child, where they could proudly embrace their culture and heritage without the fear of being bullied or pressured to assimilate. The acknowledgment of the value of diversity was deeply meaningful to them.

Another parent expressed admiration for how Joeydolls would positively influence the lives of other girls. The representation of Asian culture was applauded, as it meant that children and adults will finally feel included and represented by dolls that resembled them. The support and well wishes I received from these parents fueled my motivation, and I am grateful for their continued support.

I WAS IN TEARS READING EACH MESSAGE BECAUSE I COULD FEEL HOW EACH PERSON CONNECTED WITH MY STORY

It was amazing to receive all the messages of support on AHN! I was in tears reading each message because I could feel how each person connected with my story and just wanted to give me that push to keep going.

I knew that my story was important. As a community, we needed to see these dolls be finally made and put in the hands of young children, and how these dolls can further impact the community on a much greater level.

I was excited about being the one to push for changing our narrative, breaking stereotypes, and deconstructing racism and colorism. These are all important changes I wanted to make in the world and all the messages solidified how important my work was.

SAMANTHA’S HOPE FOR JOEYDOLLS

My goal is to represent as many ethnicities/cultures within Asia. This will further help solidify the messaging of how beautiful and diverse Asians are! Also, I want to create boy/gender-neutral dolls too.

I hope that children (and adults!) of all backgrounds (not just Asians) will appreciate and love our dolls and what they symbolize. I also have some other fun ideas that I hope to work on that still encompass celebrating the beauty of Asian culture and diversity. 

CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA

Website: joeydolls.com

Instagram: @joeydolls

Facebook: Joeydolls

Youtube: Joeydolls

TikTok: @joeydollsco

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She had no recollection of the time her hair started falling out, but she was told that her hair fell off within a 2-week time frame, “My mom said it could have been brought by stress from an earthquake we had in the Philippines.”  

Caroline was never allowed to say negative words about herself, or else her father would scold her. She was imparted that words she says about herself will either bring her up or tear her down, “So maybe I thought negative things about myself, but I never said it. Growing up bald, I never felt ugly, just incomplete.”

Growing up bald, I never felt ugly, just incomplete.

– Caroline Mangune Alanis

Although her parents taught her how to be courageous and had always made her feel how beautiful and blessed she was, growing up bald was not easy — she had to endure the everyday pressure of life. “There was the pressure of seeing little girls with beautiful hair and wishing every day that I had that. There was the pressure of kids being mean and pulling off my bandana and laughing at me because I was bald.” She faced the pressure of name-calling and bullying.

Caroline’s parents finally convinced her to start wearing a wig which, unfortunately, didn’t make things easier as she recalls. Walking home from school one day with her brother, a girl decided it would be fun to pull Caroline’s wig off and throw it on the ground. “At that moment, all I could do was cry and run home,” she adds, “every day I feared leaving the house, the emotional scar is unimaginable.”

She learned how to hide her AU, she felt as if people wouldn’t accept her for being her so it became a secret, and only her family and those she truly trusted, which were not many, knew the real Caroline.

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Every day I feared leaving the house, the emotional scar is unimaginable.

-Caroline Mangune Alanis

Being Bold With The Love Of Her Life

She met her husband Mark from work, where they were both managing stores at a mall in Chicago. They became best friends and were each other’s plus one at weddings, “We didn’t start dating until I transferred to another mall.” she said.    

But the day has to come when she must tell Mark about her condition, “Telling Mark about my alopecia was very difficult. He once told me that he loved hair and eyes on a woman,” she adds, “He himself has gorgeous hair.” Caroline felt she didn’t have one of the criteria Mark was looking for. Although she mentioned several times that she had something to tell him and he would always say “whenever you are ready.” Caroline thought that they both knew that Mark is aware of her wearing a wig, they just never talked about it. 

Mark and Caroline had been dating for about a year when she finally tried to tell him one evening. She got choked up and started crying. He told her, “Caroline, don’t you think I know you by now from your head down to your toes?” He had tears in his eyes. She then asked Mark why he didn’t tell her.  He replied, “I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me”.  

As they began to start their family, Caroline’s AU became their secret. She held her family bound to her alopecia. When her daughters’ were infants, she wouldn’t carry them in public for fear that they would pull her wig. “They were taught never to touch mommy’s hair, ever!” 

Her daughter could never have friends sleep over because it would be very uncomfortable for Caroline to be her in her own home. “My daughters were always fearful when we were out in public, especially on windy days.” 

Caroline’s baldness was a big secret, even her husband’s family didn’t know, “because I hid so much all my life, I didn’t realize I walked in fear every day.  I didn’t realize I lived in bondage.”

Mark told her, “Caroline, don’t you think I know you by now from your head down to your toes?” He had tears in his eyes. She then asked Mark why he didn’t tell her.  He replied, “I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me”.  

Embracing Being Beautiful

In the summer of 2015, her life opened a new door, she became a part of an International Alopecia Group on Facebook and realized that her journey with AU has prepared her to help others like her. She saw so many men and women devastated by losing their hair. They were going through a lot of emotional pain, “You see, alopecia can happen at any time in one’s life so the adults experience a loss and have to grieve.” Caroline said. Alopecia might not be life-threatening but it is life-altering. Hair, eyebrows, and lashes truly make a difference in one’s appearance, “I myself put my face on every day.” she added. 

She also saw some men and women walking proudly bald. One man, in particular, Anthony Carrigan, an actor who also kept his alopecia a secret but he came out and had been helping others and is a beacon of light.  

Then, Caroline started giving advice about doing daily affirmations, “doing lots of SELF LOVE!”  as well as giving makeup tips, the alopecia community knows her as the “Eyelash Queen”.

But once the parents of alopecia children started posting their heartbreaks, “that’s when I realized my parents’ challenges of raising me, a bald child.” Caroline started reiterating what her parents taught her. She gave advice to parents, about how special their child was, how they were perfect and beautiful just as they were. “Alopecia children are so strong,” she noted.

“I then realized I was all those things: perfect, beautiful, and strong,” she said, but her baldness was still a secret. Caroline thought to herself, how does she encourage others to accept themselves if she herself could not let people know about her condition? So as those thoughts lingered in her head, she began telling her family and friends — she only wanted to tell people, not show people. Her goal was to have 30 different wigs for each day of the month.

“But God! God had other plans for me,” the unexplainable started occurring, her wigs became unbearably uncomfortable to wear, “it almost felt like my scalp was burning,” which she thought was completely strange since she has been wearing them for 40 years. It took a lot to take a look at herself bald.  She then began to think, “How can I tell my daughters  and others that beauty really lies deep within if I myself can’t see past my lack of hair?”

On August 14, 2015, on her way home with her husband from dinner, Caroline’s wig was getting itchy so she took it off to scratch her head. She was about to put her wig back on but Mark held her hand to stop her. He said “Honey, don’t put it on, you’re fine. You are safe with me, nothing can hurt you, and no one will hurt you. You are beautiful.” She reluctantly did what he asked and wanted to be strong for him. 

Mark kept holding her hand tight and kept asking if she was okay,  “I just kept saying it is scary.”  As they were nearing their home, her husband pulled over and said “Come on let’s take a selfie.” to lighten the situation. Her husband dropped Caroline off in front of their home, with her wig in her purse. Mark told her to go ahead and go into their home.  

“For the first time in 40  years, I felt God’s love on my head. The soft wind touched my head, a few raindrops falling on my head. I cried and laughed as I ran to my house.” she recalls.  

After that night, her husband helped Caroline with her small steps into seeing herself for who she was — a beautiful woman living with AU. Slowly, she found herself no longer wearing her wigs. They would go on drives and take walks on the beach. “I felt free, my secret slowly fading; including the emotional scar.”

I felt free, my secret slowly fading; including the emotional scar.

-Caroline Mangune Alanis

“On Sept 9, 2015, I posted it on Facebook, I cried the whole night.  Everyone was so kind.  I was still afraid, but I started walking bald.” she expressed.

In the fall of that year, it started getting cold and she didn’t like her hats since they looked terrible without any hair. She was pretty sad because she really did not want to start wearing her wigs again, “I just prayed and asked God to lead me in what I am supposed to do. I got my answer on Sunday, October 4th,” A lady stopped her and asked if she has Alopecia, to which she responded “Yes!”. The woman said, so did she, and asked Caroline, how does she do it? — She knew the lady meant how she could walk around without her wig.

Caroline answered “I don’t know. This is all new to me. “God is giving me the strength to do this. I couldn’t have done this on my own.” So that day, she officially retired all her wigs. “Yes, I put them all away for those special occasions,” she added.

She has met so many people just like her all over the world which inspired her to start her own Alopecia Group in Chicago, where they meet once a month. “I love having a family I call my own, people who truly understand me.”

The Chicago Alopecians

Caroline together with her friends started the Facebook group, with her as the main facilitator. It is a place where they can share their personal journeys and ask for advice or help. The Chicago Alopecians’ mission is to ensure that no one feels alone. Recently, they have been planning to create more events to cater to everyone, children, teens, and men. 

“We each have our own alopecia journey and we just want to connect with each other,” said Caroline. They also allow wig vendors in the group, “Chicagoland is such a big place. I love having a solution for everyone in the group.” As of writing, they currently have 332 members, and they’ve also started an Instagram page to widen their reach.

For the international group, Caroline is also encouraging others to create their own alopecia groups — their own tribe in their local towns.

“I have always known God wanted me to stand out, but I was always afraid.  These days, I am no longer afraid to not have my wig on, I embrace it.”

Caroline is truly a woman who is defying what society calls “beautiful”. 

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