CHICAGO — Old Town resident Kristel Bell believes in supporting Black girls in science, technology, engineering and math so much that she used her 401(k) to make a collection of STEM dolls a reality.

Kelli Maple tenderly sets her bundle of joy, Naomi, into a Nuna car seat and drives her to the mall. When they arrive, Maple, 23, places little Naomi, dressed in a onesie and hair bow, into a high-end ...

To some, the dolls, known as reborn dolls, provide comfort, escape or just plain fun. But politicians across Brazil have tried to pass bills banning the dolls from public spaces. To some, the dolls, ...