5-year-old Archer “Archie” Coffman was saddened that he could never find toys that looked like him, and his mom was crushed by it. Archie was adopted by Niki and Andrew Coffman as a newborn, and the couple has faced challenges in being white parents raising a Black child. The toy debacle showed Niki the importance of racial representation in toys, and she took matters into her own hands to advocate for Archie. For Archie’s 5th birthday, Niki asked students to donate diverse toys to Archie’s predominantly white school, and they received several Fisher Price Little People toys. Niki reached out to Fisher Price to thank them for creating the inclusive Little People line, which are figurines with darker skin tones and textured hair. The Fisher Price team was inspired by Archie’s story, and they decided to make a set of customized Little People toys that look just like Archie. They sent extra toys for Archie to share with his friends, and the youngster is thrilled to finally have a toy that honors his unique story and look. He now keeps several mini Archies in his room, which he calls his “Archie Army”.
Image via Niki Coffman / TODAY
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