About Hey Carter!
Hey Carter! is a children's brand focused on increasing representation and creating tools for caregivers and educators to support the well being of Black children.
Mission: Our goal at Hey Carter! is to inspire and uplift Black children, promoting self-love, positive self-image, and a strong sense of identity through our products, workshops, trainings, and events. Created by a licensed therapist our products are evidence based and rooted in Black Psychology.
We tell Black stories.
We elevate Black joy.
We shine a bright light on Black boys.
Black boys are more likely to receive harsher punishments, seen as more mature, and aggressive than children of any other race. There has been an overly negative, dehumanizing, and false image of Black boys in the media which is a problem. At Hey Carter! we place an emphasis on the healing of Black boys through replacing false narratives with positive and truthful images. Representation matters and is imperative to the success of Black children, especially in the school setting.
Books show children what the world thinks of them and impacts how they think of themselves. At Hey Carter! we see the brilliance of Black children and use books as a primary tool for learning. Inside our books you will hear the words you needed to hear as a child and exactly what your child needs to hear now. Affirmations are infused into our collection to help our youth develop a positive inner voice.
We create a sense of community and belonging through our uniquely curated workshops and events. In 2022, we hosted the first children’s pop up event at Sweet July in Oakland, owned by Ayesha Curry. Attendees were inspired to bring their uniqueness to the table and stand in the fullness of who they are. Each child made a smoothie with their own curated ingredients, a self portrait, and left with practical tools to feel more confident. We love to partner with non profit organizations, schools, library’s, and our community.
Our best selling title “Brown Boy Joy” was released in 2017 and continues to be a favorite among children internationally. Brown Boy Joy was featured on the Netflix original series Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices and is read by Grammy award winning Singer/Actress Jill Scott. Our CEO, Dr. Thomishia Booker was the only self published author on the show. The book was chosen because it aligned with the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards. Brown Boy Joy has been recognized by the Black Caucus of Children’s Books and American Library Association. This acclaimed children’s book is a Teacher’s Pick on Amazon with over 3000 positive reviews.
At Hey Carter! we are showing the world “Happy Black children living their happy Black lives!”
“I won’t rest until Black children are taught to love themselves as themselves. Black children are our most valuable possession and greatest potential resource.” Dr. Frances Cress Welsing
Check out Hey Carter! on The Stephen Colbert Late Show at 11:37