Kia Davis: Empowering Youth Through Early Affirmations
Kia Davis, Founder and CEO of Herstory 12-21 (dba Early Affirmations), is a trailblazing entrepreneur, speaker, and Chief Confidence Strategist dedicated to youth empowerment and emotional wellness. Inspired by her daughter, Kia created the Kyya Doll, a premium talking affirmation doll that builds confidence in children—especially girls of color—through daily positive affirmations like “I am enough” and “I am loved.”

Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Early Affirmations offers affirmation-based dolls, apparel, and tools that promote representation, self-love, and emotional intelligence. With a powerful online presence and partnerships with educators and wellness experts, Kia is reshaping childhood development and conscious parenting. Her brand stands at the intersection of diversity, empowerment, and mental health, helping children build resilience and self-worth early on.

Early Affirmations is more than a toy brand—it’s a movement changing how children see themselves.

Early Affirmations: A Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurial Journey
Early Affirmations was born from a mirror moment—when Kia Davis and her husband began reciting daily affirmations to their infant daughter, Kyla. After the sudden loss of Kyla’s grandmother in 2020, Kia transformed her grief into purpose, creating the Kyya Doll—a talking affirmation doll that promotes emotional wellness, confidence, and representation for children of color.

Since launch, the brand has achieved national recognition, with products featured on Walmart.com, Faire, and The Blox. Key milestones include grants, publishing a children’s e-book, and acceptance into Elevate Equity and Launch & Profit Accelerators. Despite funding and development challenges, Kia’s mission-centered resilience has driven success.

Looking ahead, Early Affirmations will expand into affirmation-centered toys, games, and emotional learning tools, positioning itself as a leader in early childhood empowerment. With live events and school partnerships on the horizon, Early Affirmations is more than a toy brand—it’s building confidence, one child at a time.

Early Affirmations: Empowering Children Through Representation & Emotional Wellness

Early Affirmations is a multicultural toy brand dedicated to helping children build confidence, emotional intelligence, and a positive self-identity through the power of daily affirmations. Our flagship product—the Kyya Doll—is a talking affirmation doll that recites our “Core 4” mantras:
“I’m Beautiful. I’m Smart. I’m Strong. I’m Going to Change the World.”

Designed to affirm diverse children and instill inner strength from an early age, the Kyya Doll is more than just a toy—it’s a confidence-building tool rooted in love, legacy, and representation. Every product we create is a step toward fostering self-love, resilience, and emotional well-being in young minds.

In addition to our product line, our sister brand Empower and Elevate leads workshops, speaking engagements, and community events, expanding the Early Affirmations message beyond the toy box. This initiative brings affirmations and emotional literacy to schools, homes, and public spaces—offering parents, educators, and caregivers actionable tools to support children’s mental and emotional development.

Our target audience includes parents, educators, mental health professionals, youth mentors, and corporate DEI teams seeking culturally inclusive toys that align with values like emotional development, positive identity, and social-emotional learning (SEL). From classrooms to community centers, our toys and programming are trusted by those invested in building emotionally strong, confident children.

What Makes Us Unique?
Unlike traditional toy brands, Early Affirmations offers a dual-impact model: affirmation-based toys combined with real-world empowerment through community education. The Kyya Doll promotes early emotional development, while Empower and Elevate delivers hands-on learning experiences. Together, we form a 360-degree model for child empowerment, helping young people see themselves as powerful, worthy, and capable of changing the world.

Media Recognition & Awards
We’ve been nationally and locally recognized for our innovative, mission-driven work. Notable highlights include:

• Nominated for SCORE Client of the Year for growth and community impact
• Featured on The Blox (Season 16), a competitive entrepreneurial show
• Spotlighted by Empower Eats / All In Cincinnati for our commitment to youth empowerment
• Guest feature on the Dollpreneur Podcast, sharing our founding story and brand philosophy

These accolades reflect our growing influence in the emotional wellness and multicultural toy space.

Acknowledgements
All glory to God for guiding this purpose-driven journey. Gratitude to the Mortar Entrepreneurship Academy, my SCORE mentor Diane Powers, and Denisha Porter of All-In Cincinnati for their mentorship and support. Deep thanks to my parents, Orlando and Kimberly Magette, for their foundational values.

And to my husband and business partner, Rickey—our CFO and my greatest supporter—thank you for your steadfast dedication to this mission, even when no one’s watching. Your faith in this dream fuels everything we do.

Quotes and Insights

Two quotes guide my journey as a purpose-driven entrepreneur: “I’m doing my best, letting God do the rest” and “Trying to make an income while making an impact.” These affirmations reflect my deep commitment to building a faith-led, mission-driven business that empowers children through positive affirmations, emotional wellness, and representation.

At Early Affirmations, every decision balances passion with purpose—offering multicultural toys like the Kyya Doll that inspire confidence, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence. Our brand exists to make a difference while also sustaining a meaningful business rooted in affirmation-based play and impactful early childhood development.

First, I give all glory and honor to God. Every step of my entrepreneurial journey with Early Affirmations is a reflection of His grace and divine purpose. I’m deeply grateful to the Mortar Entrepreneurship Academy of Cincinnati for providing the foundational business training that helped transform a vision into a purpose-driven, affirmation-based toy brand.

Heartfelt thanks to my SCORE mentor, Diane Powers, for her strategic insight and continuous encouragement. I also appreciate Denisha Porter of All-In Cincinnati for her unwavering support and amplifying our message of confidence-building toys and emotional wellness for children.

To my parents, Orlando and Kimberly Magette—thank you for instilling in me the values of faith, resilience, and service. Most importantly, to my husband and business partner, Rickey—your tireless efforts and belief in this mission power every doll, every affirmation, and every milestone. Early Affirmations wouldn’t exist without your love, sacrifice, and behind-the-scenes brilliance.