App finds Black Santas

After not being able to find a Santa her sons could relate to, a mom took matters into her own hands, reports WBAL.com. Jihan Woods, a psychiatrist from Dallas, created a Kickstarter campaign, raising some $5,000 in 30 days to fund her Black Santas locator app. “I love making people feel better after you left than when you received me,” said Santa Luke Durant. Durant has been a fixture at Mondawmin Mall for 35 years. He’s one of the few African American Santas to be found at area malls. It’s a job he loves. “I have a picture with him for the last 20 years. I appreciate what he does,” said Donita Hickman. “You have to bring joy and be a motivator, too. It’s more than just being a ho-ho-ho Santa. Santa has a lot of roles. Sometimes clergyman and comforter, healer, all kinds of things,” Durant said. If you’re looking for an African American Santa, like Santa Luke, there’s now an app for that. It’ called Find Black Santa. Woods created the app with her twin boys in mind. “After several years of trying to find a Santa that was relatable, that my children could identify with, I realized that, specifically, in Dallas, I wasn’t able to find a Santa that represented my family,” Woods said. The app lists Santas in 35 states and Washington, D.C. She’s even located them in London, Canada and Amsterdam. And, of course, she has Santa Luke listed. Since creating the app, organizations have reached out to tell her about their Black Santas and Black Santas have asked her to list them for events. “I think it’s a good idea – whether they are Black, White, yellow or red, but the fact that we can look for a Black Santa is the catch right there, so very good,” said Warren Griffen, who brought his daughter to meet Santa Luke. Woods said there’s a developmental component, too. “Specifically for Black children, it’s really important in racial and ethnic development that children see figures – whether it’s in the media, a mystical figure, like, Santa – because it’s really helpful for their development.” Santa Luke said he’s happy to be included in the app. He said people have mistaken him as Hispanic, Asian and White. Color, he said, should not be the focus, though. “You have to pick a good guy to be Santa. Instead of color, judge the heart of the man,” Durant said. “I do agree with Santa Luke. It’s really about the magic of Christmas,” Woods said.