Mother, daughter team creates Joi Doll to inspire children

CHICAGO | The inspirational, educational and motivational Joi Doll was born when a friend suggested LaTrece Joi Russell should design a doll in her own image.

"Joi is small for her age," said her mother, Victoria Gatling, who is CEO of Joi Doll Inc. "A family friend, Anthony Shannon, looked at her one day and said she looked like a doll, and she should create one."

The mother and daughter, who lived in Calumet City until recently, decided the suggestion had merit, but took the idea of creating a baby doll a step further.

"We felt little girls need more inspiration," Gatling said. "Playing with a baby doll only teaches a girl to act like a mother. We think it should do more. We want it to motivate and inspire and teach them."

To that end, the 18-inch dolls, which are manufactured in China, are equipped with internal and interchangeable voice boxes.

"The voice box is an element of teaching," Gatling said. "With the repetition of phrases, children don't ever realize they're learning."

Available on the company's website, the dolls speak 12 inspirational phrases all taken from Bible scriptures. Other voice boxes can be bought that feature phrases concerning etiquette, mathematics, phonics, spelling, reading, geography and science.

The voices currently are offered in English and Spanish. This year, voice boxes also will be available in Mandarin and French.

Currently, the dolls are available in several skin tones and ethnicities including African-American, Caucasian, Latina and Asian. They are dressed in blue jeans and a T–shirt with the Joi Doll logo. The clothing was designed by Gatling's younger daughter, Mariah.

"We wanted 'kid-friendly' clothing," said Russell, who attends church in Munster. "That's what Mariah provided."

After designing the dolls and finding a manufacturer, the mother and daughter team used less than $10,000 in personal funds to open the company in November 2010.

Gatling runs a marketing business as well as serving as Joi Dolls Inc.'s CEO. Russell, who serves as the company's president, will graduate from Clark Atlanta University with a degree in psychology in the spring.

The company isn't making money yet, but sales are picking up and 2012 should be a break–through year as more dolls, clothing, and languages are added to Joi Dolls product line, Gatling said.

"People are seeing the dolls and the word is getting out," she said.