Mattel Unveils Barbie Dolls Inspired by Latin Icons Celia Cruz, Julia Alvarez in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
As part of honoring Hispanic Heritage Month, toy company Mattel added two unique "role model" Barbie dolls to their collection.
According to Click2Houston, Mattel announced on Wednesday that Celia Cruz, a legendary Cuban-American singer and dubbed "Queen of Salsa," and Dominican author and activist Julia Alvarez, one of the most successful Latina writers of her time, are immortalized as Barbie dolls.
In its social media account, the American multinational toy manufacturing company said that Celia Cruz and Julia Alvarez continue to inspire generations of young Latinos through their legendary careers and bravery in self-expression.
Latina Barbie Dolls
According to her website, Celia Cruz joined the Tito Puente Orchestra in the mid -1960's. The group was central to developing new Cuban and Afro-Latin mixed music in the 1960s and '70s, which came to be known as "Salsa."
Also, Cruz was a pioneer of "AfroLatinidad," using her African-Latino heritage on her music and style at a time when it was not popular to do so. The iconic singer died in 2003 of brain cancer.
Based on her website, Julia Alvarez received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013. The Dominican-American writer is the author of various works, including "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" and "In the Time of Butterflies."
Expressing her excitement about becoming a Barbie doll, Alvarez tweeted that she's "so honored to have a one-of-a-kind me in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, along with the iconic Celia Cruz."
She said she hopes that it "can encourage young Latinas to share their gifts with the world."
Meanwhile, Mattel has yet to announce when the said Barbie dolls would be available for purchase.
Hispanic Heritage Month
The United States observes the yearly National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. The event is all about celebrating the cultures, histories, and contributions of individuals whose ancestors came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, ABC10 reported.
The theme for this year's Hispanic Heritage Month is "Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope." The National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers members, associates, and partners from various federal agencies and affinity groups picked the theme through a voting process.
The observation of Hispanic heritage started under former President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. Former President Ronald Reagan expanded the observation in 1988 to cover a month-long period beginning on September 15 and ending on October 15.
Latest U.S. Census Bureau data showed that more than 60 million Hispanics live in the U.S. Pew Research Center data revealed that people of Mexican origin accounted for nearly 62 percent or about 37.2 million of the country's overall Hispanic population as of 2019.
This article is owned by Latin Post
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Mattel Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month With Celia Cruz Doll - From WPLG Local 10