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Available for
Keynote, Virtual Presentation, Panel, Workshop and TrainingFee Ranges
US East: $5,000 or under*
US West: $5,000 or under*
Europe: Please inquire
Asia: Please inquire
Other: Please inquire
* Ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees vary by engagement type and are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact Gravity Speakers.
Traveling From
Detroit, MI, USAAbout
Yelitsa Jean-Charles never had a doll that looked like her growing up. The one time her parents gave her a black doll, she burst into tears because it wasn’t the “pretty one”. Since then, Yelitsa has made it her goal to make sure that no other children feel the way she did about her own appearance growing.
While in her Junior year studying Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, Yelitsa redesigned the fairy tale Character Rapunzel as a brown girl with beautiful kinky hair. After speaking with classmates and friends. she saw the opportunity to address the demonstrated need for more diverse toys and representation in children’s publishing.
With a grant from Brown University Social Innovation Fellowship, support from the RISD E’Ship Program, Masschallenge Accelerator program and 674 dedicated Kickstarter backers, Healthy Roots was born.
Yelitsa has gone from not knowing how to do her own hair at the age 21 to teaching young girls all about their own.
Since starting Healthy Roots in 2015, Yelitsa has graduated from RISD with a BFA in Illustration and a concentration in Gender, Race & Sexuality. She was most recently recognized on Essence’s 2017 50 Founders to Watch list and won the Startup Stampede as well as the New Voices Fund Pitch competition.
Topics
How Black Girl Magic Can Change the World
Yelitsa looks to the options society provides to girls of color and considers a more diverse & inclusive future powered by women entrepreneurs.
Yelitsa Jean-Charles can speak to topics around entrepreneurship, art & design, culture competency, diversity & inclusion, and social justice.
Videos
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TEDxProvidence: How #blackgirlmagic can Change the World
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Brown University Founder Friday: Yelitsa Jean-Charles
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Creative Mornings Cincinnati: Yelitsa Jean-Charles
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Midwest UX: WTF Does UX Have to do with Social Impact?
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Refinery 29: Healthy Roots Teaches Natural Hair Care to Young Girls
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Side Hustle Pro: The Founder of Healthy Roots Dolls on Empowering Black Girls to Embrace Their Natural Hair (Podcast)
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Greg E. Hill: From Artist to CEO: Raising Money, Creating Black Dolls & Loving Yourself w/ Yelitsa Jean-Charles (Podcast)
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Nache' Snow: Growing a Purpose Driven Business Through Networking, Pitch Competitions, and Fellowship (Podcast)
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Bootstrapped VC: Healthy Roots Dolls
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Brave Not Perfect: Yelitsa Jean-Charles
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Black Entrepreneur Experience: TEDx Talk Speaker + Toy Company Founder (Podcast)
Articles
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Women of Cincy: On Realism and Health Roots - Yelitsa Jean-Charles
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Essence 50: ‘Healthy Roots’ Founder Yelitsa Jean-Charles Advises Budding Entrepreneurs To Trust Their Process
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Cincy Inno’s 25 Under 25: 25 Rising Entrepreneurs, Technologists & Innovators Under the Age of 25
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WCPO Cincinnati: Yelitsa Jean-Charles’ New Doll Helps Children of Color Love Their Hair
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Rhode Island Inno Stories: Healthy Roots Dolls Wants Girls of Color to See Themselves in Playtime
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Yahoo: Why It’s Important for Young Black Girls to see Dolls that Look like Them
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Huffington Post: How These Dolls Encourage Little Black Girls to Embrace Their Natural Hair
