Crayon Colors for All

When Bellen Woodard was in third grade, a classmate asked her to pass the “skin-colored crayon.” Bellen handed a peach crayon to her friend. This was the crayon her classmates had used to color skin. But something bothered her. Bellen was the only Black girl in her grade. The peach crayon matched the skin color of most of her classmates, but it didn’t match hers. 

“It made me kind of feel not as important,” says Bellen, who’s now in fifth grade. “Like there’s only one skin color.”

Bellen Woodard was in third grade. A classmate asked her to pass the “skin-colored crayon.” Bellen handed a peach crayon to her friend. The peach crayon was the crayon her classmates had used to color skin. But something bothered Bellen. She was the only Black girl in her grade. The peach crayon matched the skin color of most of her classmates. But it didn’t match hers.

“It made me kind of feel not as important,” says Bellen. She’s now in fifth grade. “Like there’s only one skin color.”

Bellen wanted her classmates to realize that many kids need crayons other than peach to draw themselves. So she set out to change the way her classmates thought about skin color. 

Many kids need crayons other than peach to draw themselves. Bellen wanted her classmates to realize that. So she set out to change the way her classmates thought about skin color.

Bellen talked to her mom, and her mom had a suggestion. The next time someone asked for the skin-colored crayon, why not pass the brown one? After all, that’s the crayon Bellen uses to draw her skin color. But Bellen had a different idea.

“I’d ask the person what color they wanted,” she explains. “Because people’s skin can be any number of beautiful colors.”

Bellen talked to her mom. Her mom had a suggestion. She told Bellen to pass the brown crayon the next time someone asked for the skin-colored crayon. After all, that’s the crayon Bellen uses to draw her skin color. But Bellen had a different idea.

“I’d ask the person what color they wanted,” she explains. “Because people’s skin can be any number of beautiful colors.”

Bellen told her teacher about the idea and shared it with the rest of the class. Before long, Bellen’s classmates stopped calling peach the skin-colored crayon. That change soon spread throughout her school. 

“That was nice,” Bellen says. “But I wanted more people to change too.”

Bellen told her teacher about the idea. Bellen shared it with the rest of the class. Bellen’s classmates stopped calling peach the skin-colored crayon. That change soon spread throughout her school.

“That was nice,” Bellen says. “But I wanted more people to change too.”

“I wanted to make sure that everyone has a crayon that represents them and matches their skin,” says Bellen, who calls herself a crayon activist. Most boxes of crayons don’t include enough colors to do that. So, in the spring of 2019, Bellen’s More Than Peach Project was born.

Bellen saved her money and ordered crayons in a variety of skin tones. She packed boxes she calls palette packs with 12 different skin-colored crayons in each. She donated the packs and sketchbooks to schools near her home in Leesburg, Virginia.

“I wanted to make sure that everyone has a crayon that represents them and matches their skin,” says Bellen. She calls herself a crayon activist. Most boxes of crayons don’t include enough colors to match everyone’s skin. So Bellen started her More Than Peach Project in the spring of 2019.

Bellen saved her money. She ordered crayons in a variety of skin tones. She packed boxes she calls palette packs. Each palette pack has 12 different skin-colored crayons. She donated the packs and sketchbooks to schools near her home in Leesburg, Virginia.

News about the More Than Peach Project spread on social media. Soon kids, parents, and teachers across the country were asking for Bellen’s crayons. She started selling them online. She uses some of the money from her online sales to fund  donations to kids and schools in need. She hopes to inspire people to celebrate each other’s differences. 

News about the More Than Peach Project spread on social media. Soon kids across the country were asking for Bellen’s crayons. Parents and teachers wanted them too. Bellen started selling the crayons online. She uses some of the money from her online sales to fund donations to kids and schools in need. She hopes to inspire people to celebrate each other’s differences.

So far, Bellen has donated more than 4,000 sets of crayons and sketchbooks. She has her own brand of More Than Peach crayons specially made.

Bellen has received hundreds of letters and emails thanking her. In March, state lawmakers in Virginia passed the Bellen Bill to honor her leadership. And the Virginia Museum of History and Culture put a pack of More Than Peach crayons on display. But for Bellen,there’s more to do.

“My goal is to help kids be more understanding of each other,” she says

Bellen has donated more than 4,000 sets of crayons and sketchbooks so far. She has her own brand of More Than Peach crayons specially made.

Bellen has received hundreds of letters and emails thanking her. State lawmakers in Virginia passed the Bellen Bill in March. The bill honors Bellen’s leadership. The Virginia Museum of History and Culture put a pack of More Than Peach crayons on display. But there’s more for Bellen to do.

“My goal is to help kids be more understanding of each other,” she says.