Today we’d like to introduce you to Brooke Hart Jones.
Hi Brooke, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story begins as an extremely shy girl in Dallas, Oak Cliff, where I was born, raised and shaped. I graduated from Kimball High School. Then, I went on to attend Hampton University, which is a HBCU in Virginia. There I found my voice and my appreciation for the culture and history deepened and continues to inspire me today.
Following college, I began my career in finance in New York before returning home and transitioning into merchandising. I built an almost 20-year career—most notably as a toy buyer for Dave & Buster’s, a role that allowed me to combine strategy with creativity.
During the pandemic, I launched HBCyoU Dolls® which was an 18inch doll line inspired by historically black colleges and universities. This was the first time I ever had downtime and it allowed me to tap into my creativity and express my passion for HBCUs and black history. I went from handcrafting dolls at home to selling manufactured dolls in Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club and Amazon in two years after partnering with Purpose Toys.
This year, I reimagined HBCyoU Dolls® into HBCyoU Kidz™, which continues the mission of ‘Sharing the magic of HBCUs,’ now through books and animation. It has been a journey of aligning my professional expertise with my personal passion to create something meaningful for the next generation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Launching this new brand has been anything but easy—but I was determined to bring it to life. I stepped into an entirely new space with no experience, no roadmap, and a very limited budget. For months, it felt like I was running into wall after wall, challenge after challenge. But I kept going. Slowly, the pieces began to fall into place. The content may not be perfect yet, but it’s real, it’s meaningful, and it’s mine. And I know this is just the beginning—it will only get better from here.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
HBCyoU Kidz™ is a multi-media children’s brand that uses storytelling, animation and music to introduce the history, culture and important legacy of HBCU’s. Classic HBCU music, chants, dance and rhythm are fused with fun, engaging and educational content.
Additionally, HBCyoU Kidz™ continues the fun with a book series available on Amazon. The books correlate and expand on the animated content for more educational opportunities.
Our fun characters are the main archetypes you would find on a HBCU campus- cheerleader, drum major, athlete, student body president, homecoming queen and majorette. They inspire kids to dream big and work hard while planting the seeds of higher learning.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite memories is watching the Dallas Cowboys win Super Bowls with my family. Sundays were always special—we’d gather together for the games, knowing we were cheering for the best team in the NFL. The energy was electric, and it felt like the whole city of Dallas paused to celebrate. DCFL
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hbcyoukidztv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hbcyoukidz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hbcyoukidz
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhartjones/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hbcyoukidz
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/brookehartjones
Image Credits
Amani Sodiq
