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Doll maker American Girl unveiled its first African-American “Girl of the Year” doll on Friday, the New York Daily News reports.

Gabriela McBride, with a price tag of $115, will be on sale for one year. She’s the first Girl of the Year doll since 2011 who wasn’t White. According to The Daily News, the Mattel-owned company has long been criticized for making too few dolls of color. In 2005, American Girl produced a Latina doll named Marisol for its Girls of the Year line. Previously, the company created two Japanese-American dolls for the line.

“Overall, we’re just really proud to feature a diverse and inclusive set of dolls,” Stephanie Spanos of American Girl told the newspaper.

 

Gabriela comes with a backstory, ABC News reported. The 18-inch doll grew up in an artistic family and discovered her voice through poetry while fighting to save her community’s arts center. Author Teresa E. Harris presents the doll’s story in a series of three books. The company is also working with Scholastic to produce a curriculum based on Gabriela to teach poetry and promote inclusiveness.

“The goal has always been to be able to create mirrors and windows for girls to see either a direct reflection of themselves or a window into a life or a culture that may be different from their own,” Spanos told The Daily News.

SOURCE: New York Daily News, ABC News

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American Girl Debuts First African-American ‘Girl Of The Year’ Doll  was originally published on newsone.com