The coming of age story can lead to a beautiful destination. Datreese Thomas dived into a journey of self-discovery after experiencing growing pains during her freshman year at the University of Houston. Datreese Thomas’ season of becoming led to her first business venture, The Melanie Dolls. The student turned entrepreneur wanted to empower Black girls in their journey of becoming. “I wanted to help Black girls feel beautiful, gain courage, and just develop self-love. I do that by providing a product that helps young Black girls individually see themselves better. I truly believe the company I created is a clear reflection of the journey that I had to go through with myself,” Datreese Thomas told AfroTech. Thank you so much @its_Datreese ! Representation is everything!!! She loves it!!! @themelaniedolls pic.twitter.com/Zz0BccMuQw — Da’Yon Dunlap (@DayonDunlap) January 10, 2022