Diversity

Diversity Through Coloring

Children in this decade will be able to experience coloring in a whole new light. As an attempt to establish a diverse learning environment for future generations to come, Mimi Dixon, the manager of brand equity and activation at Crayola Inc. implemented and added 24 new skin tone colored crayons to the Colors of the World campaign which also includes: coloring books, markers, and colored pencils.

This was not a negotiable decision for Dixon as she strongly believes that all children should be able to draw themselves on paper without feeling excluded or embarrassed. Dixon says, “I brought up to the organization that this was not just a product. We’re entering into a space of diversity and inclusion. There’s a lot that comes with that. And so we want to make sure that we don’t misstep. They were going to need some outside help on this. … At Crayola, we do know color. That’s who we are. But we don’t necessarily know skin tones. No one has mastered diversity and inclusion; no one has because of the journey. What my recommendation is that we get some help. Kudos to Crayola because they understood it. They aligned it and said, ‘Yup, that sounds like the right thing to do.”

This step forward in the direction of diversity will comfort many young children, artists, and those who truly enjoy coloring or collaborating. Crayola is a powerful brand that has the means to empower young children and those who are tired of mixing various colors in order to find their correct shade.