Andrea Harris-Lyons

Owner

I founded ANNA+POOKIE after years of being disappointed with the lack of diversity in party supplies. For many years, it has been impossible to find party characters or themes that represent black and brown children. ANNA+POOKIE Party Supplies is the only black, female-owned shop dedicated to providing party supplies created for children of color.

In 2017, I began developing a product line of party supplies. In 2018, I launched ANNA+POOKIE, which features brown-skinned, curly-haired, full-lipped characters that look like an underserved demographic in the party supply industry. Our current themes include a Mermaid, Ballerina, Princess, Superhero for girls, and a pirate and Superhero theme to celebrate boys!

I am incredibly passionate about creating products that empower our children. Our party supplies help them cultivate a loving self-image, boost their confidence, and show them that they deserve space on the party store aisle. My business is small, but my company mission is enormous. I am dedicated to changing the face of party supplies forever!

Before starting Anna+Pookie, I spent over 20 years in various marketing and public relations roles. My range of experiences – from the successes of leading award-winning multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns working with such giants as McDonald's and Coca-Cola, launching Anna+Pookie, or serving as a nonprofit board member – informs my work as a changemaker.

As a Black woman in a groundbreaking role, I work to ensure others see themselves in positive and aspirational ways. I believe each of us has a role in empowering the voices that go unheard, leading with dignity, and uniting to chart the path to a better tomorrow.

My husband Sam, daughter Lillian and I live in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. I earned a bachelor's degree from Spelman College.