According to PR Newswire, American Girl has revealed that the 2018 'Girl of the Year' is Luciana Vega, an ambitious 11-year-old of Chilean heritage who aspires to be the first human to set foot on Mars.
To ensure authenticity, the company collaborated with women working at NASA to design the doll. Luciana features brown hair and eyes, and is equipped with STEM-themed clothing, accessories, and a space suit fit for intergalactic missions.
American Girl president Katy Dickson shared her thoughts on the inspiring doll. 'Luciana serves as a role model for modern girls, encouraging them to break stereotypes, accept risks and setbacks, and forge their own path, no matter what they aim to achieve,' Dickson stated.
To guarantee that Luciana's gear was accurate, American Girl worked alongside NASA astronaut Dr. Megan McArthur Behnken, former NASA chief scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan, U.S. Space and Rocket Center CEO Dr. Deborah Barnhart, and Maureen O’Brien, NASA’s manager of strategic alliances.
Additionally, Luciana stars in her own book series authored by Erin Teagan and released by Scholastic. The books will chronicle her adventures as she navigates Space Camp and young astronaut training.
We're thrilled that American Girl is showcasing Latina representation and reminding all girls of the incredible strengths they possess.
And we can't help but wish that Luciana's shiny silver combat boots were available in adult sizes. (Hint, hint @AmericanGirl?)
All images courtesy of American Girl
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Anna Wesche, a BUST intern, is a writer, blogger, and enthusiast of Nacho Cheese Doritos. You can track her metamorphosis into a cat on Instagram at @annamargery.
