Review of Hearts For Hearts Doll Nyesha From Harlem, New York

PRODUCT DETAILS

Produced in:  2014

UPC:  0043377131410

Box Contents:  1 doll with orange barrette, pink sweater with sewn in striped t-shirt, blue necktie, wrap polka-dot floral print skirt, cotton panties, shoes without laces, teal rhinestone earrings, booklet, friendship bracelet, comb with extra rubber band

Doll Height:  15 inches

Nationality:  Mexican/African American Mix

Skin Color:  Black

Eye Color:  Brown

Hair Color:  Black

Doll Movement:  Head moves up and down and side to side.  Eyes do not close.  Arms go up and down and back and forth.  They do not bend at elbows or hands.  Legs go up and down and back and forth.  Do not bend at knees or ankles.  Doll can stand up on her own and sit down if propped.

Recommended Age:  6+

Item Number:  13141

Produced by:  Playmates Toys

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I have to admit that after reading Surjan's story, I was a little traumatized about having to read another Hearts for Hearts doll's story.  I know Hearts for Hearts dolls reveal the problems other children face, but I like a rather optimistic spin on the stories.  In the early days, the girls had already received some assistance and were improving their lives.  Fortunately, Nyesha followed this old formula.

We bought Nyesha used, but she was complete except for the box and the orange barrette.  My mom found her curly hair difficult.  The hair style in the picture is not how the doll's hair was originally.  Nyesha has a head full of huge banana curls.

I thought her outfit was very cute.  It is certainly one of the easiest outfits to take off.  The skirt and sweater are wrap-style.  The t-shirt actually is sewn to the sweater, and the sweater has Velcro tabs in the back.  You put the shirt/sweater on through the front rather than the back.  The necktie is a teal ribbon.  She has cotton panties underneath.  Her shoes come without laces or socks.  She doesn't sport a lot of bling--only teal rhinestone earrings.

When I saw her up close, I noticed she had a strong resemblance to Consuelo.  However, Nyesha is part Mexican--so she has that in common with Consuelo.  Nyesha's father is Mexican, and her mother is African-American.  I found the doll's eyes really interesting.  It wasn't because they were purple--but they had outlined them in dark shadowing like Goth kids are fond of doing.  I can't recall them doing this with other dolls.

Nyesha is from Harlem, New York.  She portrays a neighborhood that is a mesh pot of many different cultures--where you hear different languages and smell different kinds of foods.  Nyesha loves this about Harlem and about her own household.  Both of her parents are wonderful cooks, and each cooks up meals from their backgrounds.

Nyesha has two younger sisters who are twins.  The family has been in financial straits after the father injured his back.  He has been looking for work.  The mother is a maid but doesn't make a lot of money.  During the school year, the children can get their meals from the school...but during the summer they have to go to a soup kitchen to get fed.  Sometimes the parents miss a meal so the children can have enough to eat.

Nyesha has a dream about her parents serving food out of a yellow truck with red letters.  When she tells them her dream, they decide that this is a good idea.  How they manage to get the money to get their own truck and supplies to cook meals is unknown, but the family does wind up operating their own food truck.  They seem to do well enough that they can also afford to be charitable and provide free meals to children who don't get enough to eat.  Nyesha's memories of going hungry make this an important mission for her.