Swoon Alert: New Cartoon Focuses On Black Dad Doing His Baby Girl’s Hair
Cherry agrees and wants to change that narrative. That’s why normalizing black fatherhood and black families has made Zuri and Stephen very, very popular.
“Every time I post video of black dads interacting with their daughters, either tickling or doing some little funny thing like acting like they have super powers or doing their hair, it would always get three or four or five times the likes of any other video,” says Cherry, who has a massive Twitter following. “A lot of people were commenting ‘oh this is so cute.’ And ‘this is what my life was like growing up and it reminds me of my dad.’ Then the light bulb hit: we need to see more of this.”
Currently Cherry, who is a writer, co-producer of “Hair Love,” is working on the script and trying to secure the music. Given the overwhelming response to the Kickstarter campaign, he is hoping to give a talented yet little-known musician or musicians the opportunity to create or curate a score.
Kickstarter contributors will also snag some cool gifts, including production credits, coffee table books and “Hair Love” pins. A special treat was when contributors had the opportunity to get “Reclaiming My Time” pins featuring “Auntie” and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who has become something of a modern-day superhero to the black community. Some contributors will get to take drawing lessons from Frank Abney, the black illustrator who worked on Disney’s Frozen. Abney is also an executive producer.
The black animation community was eager to help, says Cherry.
“I’ve been following Frank since ‘Big Hero Six,’” says Cherry. “And executive producer Peter Ramsey is an incredible director. I just reached out them and was like ‘yall barely know me but I would love to have you guys involved to ask advice and make sure the project is right.’”
Part of getting it “right” includes the meticulous details of drawing ‘locs and animating Zuri’s soft, frizzy, kinky, puffy black hair. Other team members include 3D-artist Jason Marino, who co-directs the film and illustrator Vashti Harrison who created the initial 2D Character Designs.
As for Cherry, he doesn’t yet have kids but he wants this film in his arsenal when it’s time.
Says the filmmaker: “One day I will have a (child) and I want them to see a young character that is prideful in her hair and is happy with it and loves it, and I think that can go a long way in helping others.”
