Emily Seymour-Redd’s collection started with a doll from Cuba that found its way to her desk. A Customs inspector who wanted to see a representation of the Cuban culture on Seymour-Redd’s desk gave her the doll. The rest is history. Every time a colleague traveled overseas, they brought back a doll to Seymour-Redd, chief of international affairs’ law enforcement training branch.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

With more than 100 dolls from around the world, Emily Seymour-Redd’s collection is a reminder of her office’s impact around the world. She is chief of international affairs’ law enforcement training branch.

Today, Seymour-Redd has more than 100 dolls representing more than 50 countries. The remembrances range from a bridal couple from Nepal, to a faceless doll from the Dominican Republic, to a doll dressed with shells from Aruba, to a porcelain-faced doll from the former Soviet Union.

Commemorating relationships
Many of the dolls remind Seymour-Redd of the places she has visited, the people, the culture, the lifestyle and the memories of the trips where she provided training and established cooperative relationships with foreign governments.

“This collection represents the work we do in the office of International Affairs,” says Emily.

Her collection is focused on the international doll. She does not collect dolls in general, and because of this approach, rare or unusual dolls dominate her collection. It makes the display space on the eighth floor of the CBP Headquarters building inviting and provides some perspective on CBP’s global impact. EC