A young entrepreneur from Virginia has created her own toy company that encourages children to learn about Black history after she was unable to find toys that truly inspire young minds with the right message.
Tiffney Laing, from Ashburn, Virginia, launched Bevy and Dave in 2016 to help parents and educators teach Black history that extends beyond slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, ABC News reported.
The toy company explores Black history through the lens of leadership, rather than oppression.
"When you understand the experiences of African Americans and Black people around the world, if you're going to study the oppression, you also have to talk about how they were able to succeed beyond that," Laing told "Good Morning America."
"I feel like children should be inspired by Black History and not be depressed by it."
Browse Bevy & Dave toy collections HERE
"Can you imagine constantly being told something negative and never following up with something positive?" Laing added. "It does something to the spirit."
Laing, who has a 9-year-old daughter, was inspired to start her own company after she became frustrated that Black history in school textbooks and other teaching materials were constantly focused on slavery and oppression.
At the time, Laing was enrolled in a doctoral program that researched how children learn Black history. She left the program to develop solutions to problems, rather than continue to study it.
Bevy and Dave toys celebrate Black inventors and leaders, including Carter G. Woodson, who is often credited for creating Black History Month.
Laing recently joined forces with the Washington D.C.-based non-profit, The Homeless Children's Playtime Project, to donate her company's toys to children who live in women's shelters.
In addition, the entrepreneur plans to offer a free, remote program to teach Black history to those children.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App
Follow RADIO.COM
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram