Serlina Boyd had an empowering idea to help build her six-year-old daughter’s confidence. This was after she experienced difficulties at school because of the colour of her skin.

Serlina came up with the idea when she was looking for magazines to buy for her six-year-old daughter to read as part of her home-schooling plans during the lockdown and saw none featured black kids.

She decided to design and publish the Cocoa Girl book and magazine. The magazine is designed to empower black girls around the world who are more likely to be insulted by their looks by the age of 8 years old. The launch issue is glossy, attractive, bright and colourful and full of useful tips such as recipes and healthy eating.

Due to the lockdown restrictions Serlina was unable to recruit outside help for the magazine's launch. So she roped in her award-winning photographer husband and used her daughter as the face of the first Cocoa Girl.

The Cocoa Girl photography book features over 27 black girls and is full of affirmations and quotes. The book project then led them to produce the first black girl magazine in the UK, Cocoa Girl magazine which was launched in July 2020.

For more information click here to check out Cocoa Girl.