TWINSBURG, Ohio — An 8-year-old boy from Twinsburg is receiving national attention Wednesday as he appears on the Kelly Clarkson Show to discuss a toy company he created with a special mission. The company, which is known as Our Brown Boy Joy, is working to give Black children positive affirmations of self love.
"In second grade, Demetrius Davis noticed that his skin color made him feel different from the other kids at school," Clarkson's show tells 3News in a sneak preview of his appearance. "His parents set him at ease by letting him know that his differences made him special, so Demetrius embarked on a mission to help other Black boys feel special, too. With the help of his mom, Luciana, he created Our Brown Boy Joy, a company that provides toys and products that offer Black boys positive affirmations of self love."
Demetrius tells Clarkson his "My Friend" doll offers five powerful affirmations, including: You are powerful, you are smart and you are Brown boy joy.
Clarkson also unleashed a special surprise for Demetrius: She donated $1,000 for the mother-son duo.
“Demetrius and I had a really deep conversation last year when so much was going in the country," his mother said. "We talked about Trayvon Martin and that inspired our clothing [for the dolls]. As a mother of a Brown boy, one of my biggest fears is Demetrius being judged by his color of his skin or the clothes that he has on. So My Friend is to normalize being a Brown boy. Our goal is to make the narrative that being a Brown boy is amazing.”
You can watch the Kelly Clarkson Show weekdays at 11 a.m. on Channel 3.
Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on Feb. 19, 2021.