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(Zara & Ziggy) Just Like Me – with Dr. Casandra Henriquez

    Children should never feel out of place, and it’s our responsibility to create an environment where they can see people that look just like them. Join me today as we celebrate diversity and find amazing stories to include in our classrooms so our children and students will feel powerful in their place in the world.

    My guest is Dr. Casandra Henriquez, a TEDx speaker who’s helped thousands of women for the past 11 years as a love coach. She’s also a mom on a mission! We met when I recommended a preschool for her daughter and I soon found out she’s a creative genius.

    Casandra is the creator of Zara and Ziggy books that follow the adventures of a little African-American princess and her dog. Casandra was called to create these books because she felt her daughter had no representation in the mainstream culture. Today we discuss diversity, representation, and kids’ stories that celebrate each and every student!

    How Casandra Got Called to Create the Princess Zara 

    It all started with her daughter’s third birthday party. She said to Casandra: “Mommy, I want a princess party.” This was the first in-school party too, so it was a big deal. It had to be good. And Casandra wanted to get a princess that looks like her daughter, which is African-American. 

    She went to find one but couldn’t find anything. This was in 2019! It was then that Casandra started to pay attention. When they went to the doctor, when they went into the department store, when they were picking PJs, there were never any characters that looked like her daughter. 

    So, like any mom on a mission, Casandra went and created a princess for her daughter! 

    But when she first showed Princess Zara to her daughter, she didn’t really like it. She wanted the white one. Casandra was taken aback and she really had to come to terms with her daughter’s desires. Still, she didn’t give up!

    The thing is, kids don’t choose “white” because it’s better, prettier, smarter. They choose it because they don’t see any other options in the mainstream. Other options are not cool.

    Cassandra is now on a mission to make Princess Zara cool and create representation for kids so they can see themselves in the world.  

    Her Daughter’s Reaction to Seeing a Character Like Herself

    SPOILER ALERT: Her daughter loves Zara now! She’s even involved in the creative process, helping her mom edit the stories. She’s the first one that gets to hear them, it’s important to Casandra to get that approval from a child. 

    And when it came to her fourth birthday party, all she wanted was a Princess Zara theme! 

    Sharing the Story and Celebrating Diversity in Preschools

    From Jamaica to Australia, to Colombia, to New York, Princess Zara has been everywhere. She’s been featured in the Washington Post and on NBC, and the book hit #1 on Amazon. The whole journey has been amazing for Casandra and she underlines that people of all races bought the book. Princess Zara is all about representation, but it’s also a great story for all kids.

    And really, we do need more diversity on our bookshelves. For Casandra, she has books with characters of all races and genders. If there’s a great story, who cares that a boy is the main character? Girls can still relate. The same applies to race, nationality… All that matters is the story. 

    Casandra also created a workbook to go along with it, as well as coloring and counting activity books. Naturally, Princess Zara found its home in preschool classrooms as well. 

    The books got approved in Casandra’s local county as official literature that teachers can buy for their students. Zara has definitely found a way into many preschools but Casandra is also encouraging all teachers to reach out and get involved!

    So now you’ve got the birthday party. So with the birthday party, has she had her birthday yet with princess ARRA?

    What It Means to Be a Mom on a Mission 

    At age three, Casandra’s daughter wanted a princess. At age four, she got one. Her mom made it all happen and in such a short time. It only goes to prove that when a mom puts her mind to something, there are no limits to what she can do.

    Casandra’s mission truly sends a beautiful message out there: We don’t have to settle with what we see. We can create the good in the world and make it better for our kids. 

    And there is definitely some super exciting stuff coming up for Princess Zara, so make sure to keep an eye out!

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