Why the Global Decline in Representation is a Call to Action

kidogoproductions
6 days ago
3 min read

If you've been following our journey here at Kidogo Productions, you know we talk a lot about what our children see. We talk about the mirrors or windows they look into every time they pick up a book, turn on a screen, or play a game.

But today, we have to address something that is, to put it bluntly, absolutely maddening.

A recent report, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/08/catastrophic-decline-in-black-representation-in-childrens-books, shared by The Guardian, has uncovered what they are calling a "catastrophic decline" in Black representation in children's books. In the UK, the number of books featuring a Black main character didn't just dip; it plummeted by 21.5% in a single year. Out of nearly 3,000 books published for young readers, only 51 actually featured a Black child as the hero of the story.

That is less than 2%.

It's Not Just a UK Problem

Here in the United States, we are seeing a "quiet rollback." While we often hear that diversity is "trending," the data from the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) tells a different story. Diversity Statistics Media Kit. In fact, a Black child in America is still significantly more likely to see a talking animal or a truck as the lead character in a book than a character who looks like them.

Oy! We are teaching our children that a cartoon bear is more "main character material" than they are?! Unacceptable.

As we wrote in "What the Media Won't Tell You About Black Representation," every frame is deliberate. The absence of Black children in these stories isn't an accident—it's a choice. And that choice has consequences for how our children see themselves and how the world sees them.

Why Is This Happening?

The article points to a "trend-driven" mindset in the publishing industry. When the world was loud in 2020, the industry made promises. Now that the noise has quieted, those commitments are being rolled back. Here’s what we can deduce from that: It was a performance, not an authentic shift in the mainstream media industry.

But our children's identities are not a "trend." Their need to see themselves reflected in history, in science, and in joyful adventures is not a seasonal preference for a marketing department to decide.

The NAACP's Media Guidelines state it clearly: media doesn't just entertain—it shapes identity, influences policy, and determines what society deems "normal." https://naacp.org/resources/guidelines-depiction-black-life-media. When publishers pull back on Black representation, they're not just affecting sales numbers. They're reinforcing the same harmful narratives that have marginalized our children for generations.

We Can't Leave It to Chance

As parents, educators, and caregivers, we have to be the curators (and/or creators) of our children's worlds. If the mainstream industry is pulling back, we have to push forward.

We have to seek out the "Our Own Voice" creators. We have to support the platforms that center our children. We have to ensure that even if the "market" turns its back, our children's bookshelves—and their digital worlds—remain full of Black joy, Black excellence, and Black possibility.

The Rollback Stops Here

We started Kidogo Productions because we were tired of waiting. Tired of hoping that someone else would create the world our children deserve. Tired of watching our children search for characters who looked like them.

The publishing industry's retreat is disappointing, but it's not surprising. But here's what they don't understand: we're not asking for scraps from their table anymore. We're building our own, and we’re inviting you to join us.

Kidogoville isn't a response to the industry's failures. It's a declaration of our children's worth. It's a world where Black children don't have to translate themselves to belong. Where their culture isn't a "special episode" but the foundation. Where they see themselves as inventors, performers, leaders, and heroes—because that's who they are.

The data might be maddening, but our mission is clear.

We will not let our children's identities be subject to market trends. We will not accept regression or even stagnation as the new normal. We will not wait for permission to tell our own stories.

We are the curators. We are the architects. We are the builders.

And we're not stopping.

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