When it comes to 30-year-old Simone Brown of Maryland, nothing can stop her from following her dreams. Growing up, she had a deep love for Disney princesses, yet there were so many indicators around her that she could never be one herself.
In sixth grade, she got casted as Cinderella in her school play. Unfortunately, she sensed that people weren't pleased with her playing the role as a Black girl. “My mom had volunteered to help with makeup for the shows and she overheard [some] students saying something along the lines of wishing something bad happened to me so I wouldn’t get to perform," she shared.
It wasn't only students who opposed Simone's place in the role. She shared that a teacher "told me I needed to ‘tone it down’ because I was 'making the other girls in the show feel bad.'” In her mind, she wasn't sure that a white Cinderella would have gotten treated the same way she did.
Simone went on to earn her master's degree in voice from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins. Upon graduating, she applied for a princess-for-hire role at a company that sent performers out to children’s birthday parties. She never heard back.
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After her friend assumed that the company wasn't looking for a "Tiana," or a Black princess, Simone decided to create her own company. She now owns and operates Black Princess Parties DMV in Maryland.
Within her company, Simone doesn't limit herself or other hires to only playing Princess Tiana. From Elsa to Rapunzel to Ariel, she plays them all.
“It’s my way of being an activist,” she said. “I get to show kids, you belong here, you get to have fun here. This is a place for you to find joy and be silly and sing and dance. And you don’t have to look a certain way to find that joy. Your skin, your hair, your braids, your curls — all of those things are princess-worthy. Girls need to hear that.”
On her website, Simone further explains her mission of the company. "We aim to create a space that ensures children who love to sing, read, and dance can see themselves in the world of Disney and beyond," it reads. "Our company is grounded in the values of representation, quality performance, children’s education, and hope."
"Our hope for Black parents is that they are able to bask in the moment when their child says 'That princess looks just like me!' Our hope for non-Black families is that they be inspired to teach their little ones about bias and what it means to be represented in the world we all live in," it continued. "Our hope for young Black children is that regardless of the faces they see in plays, tv, or movies, that they never feel that this world is not for them."
And it appears that she's gotten a lot of positive feedback from the reviews left on her site.
“Her persona is lovely, her singing talents are without equal and her professionalism is top notch!” one person wrote.
“We plan to hire Black Princess Parties DMV again for more parties!" another review read. "We highly recommend this company to anyone with kids.”
