Beyond FUN: Gumbo Kids

Check out Gumbo Kids for products that help teach children about diversity. According to their site, Gumbo Kids Company was created by stay-at-home mom Monica Morgan-Simmons in an attempt to address a painful yet inspiring experience suffered by her three-year-old daughter Journey. Having recently moved from a very diverse neighborhood to the suburbs, Journey was told by a young classmate that she wouldn’t play with her because of her “brown skin.” Unsuccessful in her search for products that address diversity issues creatively and realistically, Monica decided to produce the very products she could not find on the market. “I was surprised by the lack of multicultural educational products out there that addressed the needs of parents...who try to raise...children with open minds and self-confidence,” she said.

For more information (and a photo of Monica with her daughter!), refer to this article from Colorado Parent magazine. Gumbo Kids is based in a suburb south of Denver, in the same neck of the woods as yours truly. We're busy out here in the 'burbs!