Children are proof that racism is not born, it is learned. Sophia is one such toddler that just goes to show love conquers all!
Brandi Leilani was celebrating her daughter’s potty training milestone by taking her 2-year-old to their local Target in Clover, South Carolina, for a reward.
She told Sophia that she could choose anything in the store and let her explore the toy section.
Being an ambitious little girl, Sophia wants to be a doctor when she grows up. She’s constantly giving her dolls, and her mom, check-ups with her stethoscope.
So when she found a doll in doctor’s clothes, she was immediately enamoured and chose it as her one toy.
Sophia has a large doll collection at home.
Her playroom is full of dolls in every shape and size, plush or plastic, both boys and girls.
So it’s no surprise she chose another to add to her collection. This time, the doll just so happened to be black.
When Sophia and her mom got to the check out, the cashier struck up a conversation.
She asked Sophia if she was going to a birthday party. It was a slightly strange question because there was nothing to suggest they were going anywhere but home.
The cashier pointed to the doll and asked if Sophia was giving it to a friend as a gift.
Leilani explained to the cashier that it was a potty training treat for her daughter, so she turned back to Sophia.
“Are you sure this is the doll you want honey?” Brandi recounts the cashier asking. “Because she doesn’t look like you. We have lots of other dolls here that look more like you.” – cashier
Leilani was furious. But before she could reply, Sophia chimed in.
She was confused and disagreed with the cashier; of course there were similarities between herself and the doll. Brandi recalled her daughter’s wise words.
“She’s a doctor, like I’m a doctor. She’s a pretty girl, and I’m a pretty girl.” – Sophia
It’s that simple!
The cashier dropped the topic after that.
No child should look identical to a Barbie doll. And considering the doll is actually just a mould of plastic… there’s a limit to how similar they can really be.
Leilani went home, proud of her daughter but still bothered by what the cashier had said.
She shared a post about the exchange to Facebook, and it quickly went viral.
“We could attack and go negative because of what she said, but my daughter just responds to love, and I really think that’s what’s at the heart of it.” – Leilani
Sophia is going to make an amazing, compassionate doctor one day!
Leilani shared a follow up in response to the original post going viral, expressing how touched she was that the story was received with so much love and support.
“I feel like the media is so addicted to negativity that we tend to harden ourselves and assume the worst in others. But you guys, all I have seen and felt from all of this is pure LOVE! (Aside from those who want to go off on the cashier, lol.)” – Facebook
It’s little actions like these that will hopefully rid the world of racism and division one day.
It’s about time!
For another heartwarming story about children who have proven that racial divide is imaginary, read here.
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