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Dolls are an important part of childhood, and they can teach children about the world around them. However, for a long time, the doll industry has been criticized for not being inclusive and diverse enough. In recent years, many companies have recognized the need for inclusive dolls that break stereotypes, and this is especially true for black dolls.
Toys are an essential part of every child's development, and as parents, it's our responsibility to provide them with toys that are both entertaining and educational. Choosing diverse toys for children is essential to their development and ensures that they learn about different cultures, values, and traditions. Here are some tips and guidelines for parents on how to choose diverse toys for their children: Look for toys that represent different cultures and ethnicities.
Yla Eason, President of Olmec Toys Inc. and Creator of Sun-Man in Rochester, NY at the National Toy Hall of Fame in The Strong National Museum of Play's 90,000 sq. ft. expansion checking out the Sun-Man figures on display!
Black toys not only help to develop a child's self-esteem but also provide an opportunity to learn about their culture. Many black toys are designed to reflect black culture and history, providing children with a tangible way to connect with their heritage. By playing with black toys that depict black heroes, leaders, and icons, children can learn about their history, culture, and traditions.
Toys are an essential part of every child's life. They help in the development of cognitive, emotional, and social skills. However, for a long time, the toy industry has not reflected the diversity of our society, and black children have not had adequate representation in the toys they play with. In this blog, we will discuss the impact of black toys on children, specifically how they can positively affect the development of children's self-esteem, cultural identity, and empathy.
Black representation in the toy industry is about more than just selling toys. It's about creating a more inclusive world where all children feel seen and valued. By including more black characters in the toys that children play with, we can help to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of black culture. This can help to create a more inclusive society where all children feel valued and respected.
The toy industry has been criticized for its lack of diversity and representation for years. Toys have been predominantly geared towards white children, with few options for children of color. This lack of representation can have a significant impact on a child's self-esteem and sense of identity.
Black boys, like all children, should have the opportunity to play with toys that reflect their own experiences and identities. Images are so important, that playing with toys that looks like you helps with your fatasy of and imagination and helps Black boys see themselves as super heroes.
Congratulations to Yla Eason, creator of the Sun-Man action figure, for winning the Doll Legacy Award at the 2022 Detroit Doll Show. Her outstanding work as founder and president of Olmec Toys, Inc. continues to uplift and empower people of color and collectors throughout the world. We are excited to see the return of Sun-man your Black Action Figure in stores!
The Strong's National Toy Hall of Fame inducted Masters of the Universe (MOTU) today. Sun-Man is featured on display along with He-Man and other MOTU characters.
Yla Eason, creator of the Sun-Man action figure, showcased Sun-Man and the other figures from the Rulers of the Sun line at the 2022 KHEM Fest in Newark, NJ. This annual event recognizes and celebrates black art, comic books, animation, films, and popular culture. While many were learning about Sun-Man for the first time intrigued by the unique story behind his creation, several Sun-Man fans from near and far stopped by to pay their respects, take pictures, and receive toy signings.
Yla Eason, creator of Sun-Man was featured as a guest panelist on Afro Futurism at New York Comic Con, The Future Is Black event held last weekend. Special thanks to Naseed Gifted of KHEM Fest for this amazing opportunity!
Sun-Man and his creator, Yla Eason, was featured in the "Spark Lab" at Morris Museum to inspire children to become inventors. Children were instructed to design a superhero by first drawing a prototype, then creating a 3D mock up figure.
New Podcast Alert! Episode 70: Sun-Man by This is Love Show featuring guest appearance Yla Eason, creator of Sun-Man. Listen now: https://thisislovepodcast.com/episode-70-sun-man/
Ms. Eason is an award-winning educator and entrepreneur who is largely credited with pioneering the ethnic toy market at mass market stores. As an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers University, her focus is Business Communications, Multicultural Marketing, and Digital Marketing. Over 40 years ago a comment by her 3-year-old son and the love she had for him, changed the trajectory of her life and the lives of many children of color across the globe.
Yla Eason, who created a pioneering line of multicultural superhero toys in the 1980s, sees a toy and media trend toward fantastical storylines for Black characters this season. It’s driven in part by “Afrofuturism,’’ a science fiction genre incorporating reimagined elements of Black culture and history and popularized by the Black Panther film franchise, including Wakanda Forever, which has newly released toy lines with Hasbro and Lego.
Sun-Man joins Mattel official masters of the universe toy line. (Photo: Courtesy of Mattel) He-Man may have the power of Grayskull, but only Sun-Man can harness the power of the sun. The groundbreaking black action figure – which first hit toy store shelves in 1985 from Olmec Toys – officially joins Mattel’s vintage toy line in time for the 40th anniversary of masters of the universe. Sun-Man will be featured in several MOTU toy lines throughout 2022
Mattel has announced that Rulers of the Sun will be joining the Masters of the Universe Origins line this year, and it all starts with today's launch of the Sun-Man figure, followed by Digitino and Space Sumol later in 2022. Pre-orders for the Sun-Man figure are live here on Amazon and here at Entertainment Earth for $16.99 and $18.99 respectively. It should also be available here at Walmart soon.
The Sun is rising as a new hero comes to the Masters of the Universe Origins line from Mattel with a general public release of Sun-Man! The Rulers of the Sun arrived at Mattel Creations last year as Sun-Man came with different packaging, paint deco, and some swappable pieces. This version takes the figure back to the Masters of the Universe: Origins line with a classic card back attachable armor and weapons.
He-Man may have the power of Grayskull, but only Sun-Man can harness the power of the sun. The groundbreaking Black action figure — which first hit toy store shelves in 1985 from Olmec Toys — is officially joining forces with Mattel's vintage toy line in time for the 40th anniversary of Masters of the Universe. Sun-Man will be featured in multiple MOTU toy lines throughout 2022, including Masters of the Universe Origins and Masters of the Universe: Masterverse.
For Black History Month Mattel announced that Sun-Man will be making his long-awaited debut in the Masters of the Universe Origins line. Last year, Sun-Man was released on Matty Creations and sold out within minutes but that wasn’t the first time the character would be sold to collectors and retailers. Back in 1985, Yla Eason created Sun-Man and the Rulers of the Sun as an answer to the lack of diversity found the the toy market in the 80’s.
Sun-Man the hero has a pretty wild origin story, but Sun-Man the action figure’s origin story is better. After her three-year-old son Menelik told her he couldn’t be a superhero because he was Black, Yla Eason created Sun-Man and the Rulers of the Sun, a group of multi-ethnic heroes whose toys were bestsellers in the ‘80s. Now, after a brief appearance by Sun-Man as a Mattel online exclusive last year, he and his fellow Rulers of the Sun are officially joining the Masters of the Universe toyline
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., — February 1, 2022 — Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today that the Rulers of the Sun, with its multicultural Black, Latino and Asian characters, will be joining the Masters of the Universe Origins™ line in 2022. The first hero to join He-Man is Sun-Man, one of the pioneering Black action figures, available for preorder today and arriving on shelves around the globe this Spring. As the 40th anniversary of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe kicks off in 2022
This year, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe turns 40. And over four decades later, the franchise is still widely popular dabbling in various forms of media from comics to a couple of new animated series, an upcoming live-action movie, and of course, toys and action figures.
Growing up, I’d spend a lot of time in South Jersey with my cousin. My mom and I would drive about 40 minutes so she could run the streets with her sister, leaving my cousin and I to play video games, watch WWF tapes, and stage epic battles with our action figures. Many Saturdays, upon their return, my cousin and I would receive new figures to add to our collections—they may have been pro wrestlers, characters from the Marvel or DC Comics, or He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., -- February 1, 2022 -- Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today that the Rulers of the Sun, with its multicultural Black, Latino and Asian characters, will be joining the Masters of the Universe Origins™ line in 2022. The first hero to join He-Man is Sun-Man, one of the pioneering Black action figures, available for preorder today and arriving on shelves around the globe in Q1’22. As the 40th anniversary of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe kicks off in 2022.
Mattel unveiled new additions to the He-Man and Masters of the Universe toy lines with the Rulers of the Sun, a multicultural assembly of heroes first created in 1985.
A child’s natural inclination is to desire a toy – whether it’s the midst of the holiday season or the middle of summer.The history of Olmec Toys, founded by Yla Eason, begins in this spirit, during a beach trip to the shores of Jamaica. However, what she found was that her son, Menelik Puryear, needed more than something to play with.
Sun-Man was inspired by her son's comment: “Mommy, I can’t be a superhero because He-Man is white.” Now, he's part of the Masters of the Universe roster. An award-winning marketing professional, she is internationally recognized as pioneering a niche market of multicultural toys. She founded Olmec Toys, a multicultural toy company, that she grew into a $5 million business. Eason was among three women to receive a 2020 Alice H. Parker Women Leaders in Innovation Award from the New
The character made famous in the Rulers of the Sun line from the 80's is joining the proper Masters of the Universe franchise and will be incorporated into the universe and Origins figure line. The announcement was made today at Power-Con. Sun-Man was created by Yla Eason, a mother driven to provide a positive image for her son. "I was taken aback when my son came to me and said he couldn't be a superhero because he wasn't White.
Eternia has a new Black hero. Sun-Man, a muscular action figure sold in the '80s that was born from the need for a diverse alternative to He-Man, will join Mattel's Masters of the Universe roster, giving a new generation of children the chance to pair up He-Man and Sun-Man in the battle against evil. The addition of what may be the first Black superhero toy comes amid a big push by Mattel to reinvigorate the Masters of the Universe line.
Mattel is expanding the Masters of the Universe’s roster of muscled heroes with the introduction of Sun-Man, a Black character created in 1985 by a New Jersey mother who wanted to create a role model for her son. So she started her own company, Olmec Toys, to make Sun-Man and other toys for Black, Hispanic, and Native American children. “The intention was to give a positive Black presentation in imagination and creativity,” she said.
From children’s books, to cartoons, to the worlds of fantasy and make believe, it can sometimes seem as if Black characters are on the side-lines, or don’t exist at all. Especially around the holidays, Black parents get creative to find toys for their kids that reflect just how beautiful and special they are. More than three decades ago, Yla Eason took matters into her own hands when her Black son said that he couldn’t be a superhero because he’s not white. Trymaine Lee talks to Yla, about why
Yla Eason is Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers University where she teaches business communications and marketing. She has directed learning and development for the R/GA digital advertising agency and the Center for Excellence in Advertising at Howard University and lectured at the business school at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York (CUNY).
Back in 1985, my son Menelik, who was three years old, told me he couldn’t be a superhero because he wasn’t white. That was a shock. When children don’t see themselves represented, research shows it has a negative effect on self-esteem, development, and ability to achieve. At the toy store, I found Black dolls for girls but nothing for boys. So I created Sun-Man, a superhero who gets his strength from the sun.
