Xavier University 体育运动 Department partners with Origin Bees to create exclusive line of XULA Cheer Babydolls in time for the holidays

The Xavier University 体育运动 Department has partnered with multicultural toy company Orijin蜜蜂 发起“我看见我”活动. The “I See Me'' campaign seeks to empower Black youth and call attention to the underrepresentation of Black and brown people within the competitive cheer sport by releasing a line of diversity-oriented dolls with various skin tones and hair textures.

格伦·卡斯顿, the Inclusion and Social Justice Officer and head competitive cheer coach at Xavier and founder of the “I See Me” campaign, was inspired to create this movement during the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Caston wanted to create positive imaging that resonated with young people to dismantle negative portrayals of marginalized people.

“Every time we have a homecoming parade or cheer competition, 这些小女孩跑过来拥抱我, 它温暖了我的心. 这些小小的经历让我不禁发问, what Xavier can do to start to deconstruct this perspective of what it means to be a Black cheerleader.”

Caston worked with Orijin蜜蜂 to create toy dolls that represent Xavier cheerleaders. The dolls have the brand-specific curly hair featured on most Orijin蜜蜂 dolls, but they are wearing Xavier University cheer uniforms. The tennis skirts and tops feature Xavier’s widely-recognized brand colors, 白色和金色，上面有大学的标志. Caston understands the importance of representation of Black people within the competitive cheer world.

“Black athletes in the competitive cheerleading world are underrepresented. 我们甚至在走上舞台之前就被评判了. 我们在很多方面都被边缘化了. 通常, Black girls are believed to be perceived as limited in their ability, 所以当他们进入大学水平时, they do not have the same training for all positions as other groups within the sport,卡斯顿说. 

The 路易斯安那e世博esball大学 Competitive Cheer program made history by being the first Historically Black 大学 and University (HBCU) team to premiere at the National Association of Intercollegiate 体育运动 (NAIA) in Davenport, 爱荷华州. The NAIA began to include competitive cheer and dance in 2016 and is the only athletics association to award a national championship in these sports. 2020年首次亮相, the XULA Competitive Cheer team placed fifth at the national competition and first in the NAIA polls. 

2021年5月, 格伦·卡斯顿 coordinated and developed a partnership with Orijiin Bees, whose goal is to inspire girls to embrace their original features through dolls that reflect diverse skin complexions and hair textures. Caston was drawn to the dolls stating that they reminded him of the XULA Cheer team. 

“I wanted people to be able to see themselves within these dolls. I needed to have a doll company that was willing to highlight our diversity in a positive and accurate light, 梅丽莎Orijin在这方面发挥了很大的作用,卡斯顿说. 

梅丽莎Orijin, Orijin蜜蜂的创始人, was motivated by her daughter Esi Orijin to create the Bay Bee Doll Collection after noticing her daughter’s change in doll preference to fairer complexion dolls after Esi was enrolled in school. 

“They are a way for children to take pride in their heritage, 庆祝他们的身份, 拥抱他们的文化根源. These toys are a conversation piece to form a discussion around education, 我们的孩子, 并重新统一我们的社会,” said 梅丽莎Orijin in a statement displayed on the Orijin蜜蜂 website. 

After many conversations with the team where students expressed that cheerleading is a safe space for them and a way to decompress, Caston also hopes the “I See Me” campaign represents Xavier University students beyond academics.

“It was important for me to show a different side of Xavierites, that they are human and have recreational lives that are equally important to highlight. We wanted to tell the story of how one can be a holistic human being while pursuing the dream of having a career in medicine,卡斯顿说. 

Caston gifted the first doll to a young neighborhood girl during Xavier’s 2021 homecoming parade, 给她留下了一辈子的印象. 

“I saw her not too long ago playing with the doll on her porch and I could tell it really resonated with her. I cried because, for me, that was a sure sign that we are doing the right thing. We did more than gift her a new toy, We’ve inspired a dream,卡斯顿说. 

The next milestone for the “I See Me'' campaign is to connect youth to Xavier University students to expand current programming that focuses on affirmation for everyone involved. 

The Orijin蜜蜂 Bay Bee Doll Collection is featured on 奥普拉2021年最喜欢的东西 圣诞节列表. 还在为这个季节寻找完美的礼物? 激发一个梦想，并赠送一个XULA欢呼娃娃. 点击这里 订购你的!

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