Natalie & Jessenia Rios - Founders of Little Lola & tots

Feb 23

These two incredible 2020 Launch Program Recipients, Natalie and Jessenia (she/her/hers), are publishing a book! Please head over to their KICKSTARTER page to donate and pre-order a copy for yourself or a tot in your life! Read more about the book below.

OUR STORY:

Hola! Jessenia and I (Natalie) are first-generation, Dominican American sisters, raised in NYC and living in Brooklyn, NY. Aside from being related, we decided to feed our entrepreneurial spirit and go into business - this is how we launched little Lola & tots, a cultural and educational play space in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Little Lola & tots was born out of a vision we both share of making the world a more accepting and tolerant place through early education and cultural exploration. As a mother, my parenting style consists of embracing differences and exploring. Whether we travel by plane or discover different cultures in our own city, my idea is to raise children that are proud of their own background while respecting that of others. The idea of honoring diversity within early childhood was top of mind when my sister and I designed the enrichment programming we would offer at our space. One of our most popular classes, Travel con Lola, has served as an inspiration to our latest endeavor of publishing a children’s book, a dream we have been looking to make a reality. Like our class, Travel con Lola, our book allows young children to embark on a journey in their imagination through reading, music, and art.

OUR BOOK:

As young children of Dominican immigrants who were forced to work year-round, summers off from school meant summers in the Dominican Republic. Once the last day of school came around, we found ourselves on a plane traveling to this Caribbean island filled with lively music, delicious food, and soft, sandy beaches. We got to spend the entire summer vacation under our grandmother’s care, a humble woman who only spoke Spanish and nourished our wild spirits by allowing us to adopt the Caribbean way of life. Electric outages meant card playing under candlelight. Beach outings meant climbing palm trees for coconut water. Daily walks at sundown meant stopping at the nearby ice cream shop and tasting tropical flavors we only thought could grow on trees.

Our book is dedicated to these childhood memories… and to the idea that as children of immigrants, our minds are open to absorb two different cultures; we do not have to choose between them but instead immerse ourselves (and our little ones) in both. For this first book, we were driven by the desire of empowering children within our own culture, who share a similar way of life. We want them to see themselves in Lola, a brown, Spanish and English speaking girl who travels to the Dominican Republic every summer while Mami and Papi stay in NYC and work. Representation allows children to see themselves in a story and dream bigger, aim higher, and travel further.

ABOUT OUR WORKSHOPS:

For companies committed to building a world where diversity and inclusion can be realities, little Lola & tots offers Anti-Racism Parenting Workshops that firms can provide for its employees. Individuals, parents, and caretakers are actively seeking out resources on how to have difficult conversations with their families. Our workshops can help facilitate these conversations; a perfect investment in your employees as it is something truly impactful and meaningful. We believe in education for social change, and part of our vision is to cultivate a diverse and educational space for our little learners. Our Anti-Racism Workshops would provide a valuable opportunity for companies to continue supporting and uplifting all voices.

Favorite motto or quote that keeps you inspired?

"We all have an unsuspected reserve of strength inside that emerges when life puts us to the test." - Isabel Allende

Book(s) that inspire you/your company?

Girl, Stop Apologizing - Rachel Hollis

“Do something for YOU that fuels you - whether is taking some quiet, alone time or a quick workout. ”

— Natalie & Jessenia Rios

In your personal life, what is one daily practice or habit you have to keep you centered and grounded?

Dedicating some time to listening to a book (audible) or podcast or my music (not kidzbop).

Who or what was the biggest motivator for you when you started your business?

My sister.

How do you hope that your company can create a better world?

We want little Lola & tots to help make the world a more accepting and tolerant place through early education and cultural exploration.

What has been the biggest highlight of running your own company?

The biggest highlight is being able to grow our ideas and have them grow and materialize into different services and programming - taking our mission from the space/classroom into peoples' homes (parenting workshops and our children's book).

What are your top three goals for your company this year? AND! How can the LWL Community support you in accomplishing them?

1) Sell 3,000 copies of our new book

2) Sell 10 corporate anti-racism workshops for parents

3) Expand our PR reach by getting a placement in 5 media publications

The LWL Community can help by sharing our story, supporting our Kickstarter and putting us in touch with experts that can assist us in accomplishing these goals.