Bellen Woodard is the very first skin-color crayon activist/pioneer.  She’s on a mission to improve the world by getting her innovative More than Peach® crayons in the hands of all students so no kid is “disincluded.” Her crayons have managed to change an entire industry.

Bellen knew that when her friends asked for the “skin-color” crayon, they meant the “peach-color” crayon, even though Bellen’s skin isn’t peach. She wants kids to realize and celebrate that, “People’s skin can be lots of beautiful colors…and have the crayons they need to draw themselves and their friends.” She also knows just how important it is for kid voices and ideas, including her own, to be heard, dignified, and protected.

Because a single crayon was once called “flesh” by a brand, Bellen developed the goal to grow this thinking and finally erase the omission once and for all by intentionally representing all different skin colors in a single box. Bellen used her own money to create crayons in different skin tones. She built kits, that included a sketch pad, and donated over 4,000 bundles to schools near her home. Bellen succeeded in getting her classmates and community to stop referring to one crayon as the skin-color crayon.

Bellen then nationally launched her own brand, More Than Peach® crayons. News of Bellen’s efforts spread on social media and soon people worldwide asked for her crayons, which are now in many classroom and homes around the world. They are sold at Target.com. They have also been added to several permanent museum collections including The Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and the Science History Institute.
(Virginia: 2019)

Visit Bellen’s website “More Than Peach”.