Mompreneurs: Brooke Hart Jones Celebrates HBCU Excellence
Mompreneurs: Brooke Hart Jones Spreads HBCU Magic Through Her Growing Children’s Brand
This week on Mompreneurs, Brooke Hart Jones—the creative force behind HBCyoU Kidz and HBCyoU Dolls—shares how a simple idea grew into a mission to introduce children to the magic of HBCUs. What began as a single handcrafted doll has blossomed into a vibrant multimedia brand featuring an animated YouTube series, music, and books celebrating the legacy and pride of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Jones joins host Nancy Redd to talk about the inspiration behind her brand, the challenges she faced along the way, and what she’s manifesting for HBCyoU Kidz as it continues to reach new audiences.
‘I Didn’t Really See Myself As An Entreprenur’
Her shift into entrepreneurship wasn’t part of the plan. After graduating from Hampton University, Jones built a career in corporate, working in finance and merchandising. Then COVID hit, and the mom of two was furloughed. Suddenly, she found herself with “some calmness in my life,” a rare shift from the “very hectic lifestyle” she’d been used to.
With her schedule cleared, she had space to explore ideas she’d long set aside. “I was able to act on an idea,” she said. “I’ve always been a creative person, always coming up with different ideas, but never had the time or the mental space to act on them. And that time, that stillness, allowed me to do it.”
“I didn’t really see myself as an entrepreneur,” she said. “So this was a detour I wasn’t expecting, but I’m loving it.”
‘I Knew This Was Bigger Than Myself’
When her friend’s daughter’s birthday came around, Jones had something special in mind. “I wanted to send something fun because, you know, things were shut down so she wasn’t able to have the traditional party,” she said. “Her mom’s a proud alum like myself, so I said, you know what, I want to send her a Hampton cheerleader doll. Let me go online and buy that and send it to her.”
But when her search came up empty, Jones ordered some art supplies, designed the uniform, and crafted the doll herself. When her friend shared it on social media, the doll received a huge response—sparking a realization: “Maybe this is something I can do.”
Jones began making dolls on a small scale for a little over a year, until she was approached by Purpose Toys, who helped bring HBCyoU Dolls to retail. The line—featuring cheerleader dolls representing HBCUs from Clark Atlanta to FAMU to Morehouse—soon appeared at Target, Walmart, Macy’s, CVS, and Amazon.
“I would have never been able to expand to retail without their support,” the mompreneur said about her collaboration with Purpose Toys.
As a proud Hampton graduate, Jones experienced firsthand the unique energy, pride, and sense of community that make HBCUs so special—and she felt compelled to share that with the world.
“I was definitely nervous, but I knew that this was bigger than myself and it had the potential to be impactful and really make a difference. So I told myself, ‘I’m not gonna let my fear prevent the purpose and the mission.’”
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‘Outsourcing Is Something I Had To Learn’
Beyond the HBCU cheerleader dolls, Jones has continued to grow the brand, launching a YouTube channel and releasing a book series that debuted earlier this year.
Diving into video content creation came with plenty of trial and error, Jones said, but it’s become a powerful outlet for the brand to keep shining a light on HBCUs.
“I decided to start a multimedia component of the brand to further the mission and reach more children. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to be creative, I’m really just relishing in that,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of opportunity for growth, but I’m very proud to get to this point.”
Jones learned to delegate, hiring skilled collaborators from Fiverr to bring her vision to life.
“Outsourcing is something I had to learn. That’s why I was running into a lot of roadblocks, because I was trying to do a lot of things myself,” she said. “I have skilled people to assist me with this. I have an illustrator, an animator, a music producer … I’m more like the executive producer who comes up with the ideas and finds people who can help me execute. Fiverr is my best friend, for sure.”
‘I Want To Be Remembered As A Person Who Championed Black History’
This past spring, Jones released her children’s book series—Miss Juneteenth: Nicole’s Big Dream and Which Yard Should I Go?: Alyssa’s HBCU Road Trip Adventure. Through these stories, she’s bringing the magic of HBCUs to young readers—creating fun, educational resources that celebrate Black history and culture.
“I want to be remembered as a person who really championed Black history.”
That mission is rooted in her own childhood in Dallas, where she received an early education in Black history. “I was very, very blessed to learn about Black history at a young age,” she said. “I didn’t understand why I was watching Eyes on the Prize on PBS as a six- or seven-year-old child in the early ‘80s, but I appreciate it now … It really helped me have a sense of self and to make better decisions, because I have an idea of what my people have endured. So it’s helped guide me throughout my life, and I want that for children.”
‘Being Home With My Sons—I Don’t Take That For Granted’
As she works to expand the HBCyoU Kidz universe into new product categories and make it a household name, Jones balances her business with the joys of motherhood. Being able to pursue her purpose while having quality time with her two boys is something she cherishes deeply. “Seeing my sons and being able to be home with them and fulfill my passion, my purpose, and be able to make them lunch—I don’t take that for granted,” she said.
For Jones, this balance is the ultimate reward. “Having the best of both worlds, that brings me joy and I’m grateful for it.”
Don’t miss out on the full conversation. Watch this episode of Mompreneurs above.
Catch New Episodes Of Mompreneurs Every Week
Welcome to Season 4 of Mompreneurs—where we spotlight brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Monday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.
RELATED CONTENT: Mompreneurs: Building HBCU Legacies With Ashley Christopher
The post Mompreneurs: Brooke Hart Jones Spreads HBCU Magic Through Her Growing Children’s Brand appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Mompreneurs: Brooke Hart Jones Spreads HBCU Magic Through Her Growing Children’s Brand was originally published on madamenoire.com
