Paola Antonini and Kelen Ferreira join the Barbie Role Model collection, with unique dolls due to the celebration of friendship
Barbie celebrates, this international month of women, the strength of friendship honoring pairs of inspiring women who have achieved remarkable achievements around the world, which is expected from a line committed to the female audience.
In Brazil, the creator of content Paola Antonini and the health professional Kelen Ferreira, They were selected to participate in the project inspiring women – “Role Models”, being the first Brazilian PCDs to receive a fully inspired Barbie.
The journey of Paola and Kelen It carries an example of overcoming and friendship that everyone should know. In 2014, Paola Antonini He lost his left leg into a car accident, turning it into a symbol of empowerment and inclusion. Influencer also leads an institute that offers free rehabilitation for young people with disabilities.
“Being a Barbie Role Model goes beyond an honor, it is a responsibility that inspires me to encourage others to believe in their infinite potential. I know the challenges do not define us, but they strengthen us. Barbie has always represented a world of possibilities, and I want to show that, with support, friendship and self -confidence, we can turn our dreams into reality, regardless of obstacles on the way, ”he explains Paola.
Kelen Ferreira survived the tragic fire of the Kiss nightclub in 2013 and, after amputating her leg, the health professional became an example of overcoming and her story inspired a character interpreted by her own Paola Antonini In a series of 2023, giving rise to a friendship strongly marked by the support and defense of inclusion.
Representativeness matters
Barbie de Kelen Ferreira It is an unprecedented milestone in the brand line, one of the first to have a transtibial prosthesis that is below the knee and burns scars. Unlike the previous dolls, with transfemoral prostheses this in turn is above the knee; which at Mattel’s initiative promotes even more inclusion and representativeness, showing children that they may be whatever they want, regardless of the challenges they will find.
In addition to the Brazilian duo, other iconic friendships are also being celebrated by the brand around the world, including the gold medalists of the Olympic gymnastics team, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey (USA); the tennis players Evonne Goolagong-Cawley and Ash Barty (Australia) and the actresses Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple (United Kingdom).
“Barbie honors Role Models that broke barriers and are an inspiration to the next generation. Paola Antonini It is an example of resilience; Despite her accident, she has become a symbol of determination and proves that you can start over and still be your best version. Its story, together with the inspiring friendship that shares with Kelenhighlights how unity and support between friends can boost significant changes, “he declares Valeria Gonzalez, Country Manager of Mattel Brazil.
Challenging stereotypes
The Barbie Role Models initiative is part of the Barbie Brecha do Dream Project – “Barbie Dream Gap”, launched in 2018 based on research conducted by New York University. Studies have revealed that many girls from the age of five begin to develop self -limiting beliefs and think they are not intelligent and capable of the boys. With this, the brand made a commitment to eliminate this barrier, challenging stereotypes and helping girls reach all their potential.
Maya Gabeira, Dr. Jaqueline Goes, Doani Emanuela Bertan, Iza, Maira Gomez and Rebeca Andrade, Olympic and gymnast gold medalist are some big names of inspiration that the project has already honored.
About the project
Barbie Dream Gap Project, the brand’s initiative to encourage girls to dream of without borders, now joins the “Inspiring Girls International”, which will soon release a series of videos on social networks, sharing inspiring stories of young women around the world and highlighting the value of friendship and community.
Therefore, for this International Women’s Day, Barbie invites best friends of all ages to celebrate the power that friendship carries, either by playing with her favorite pairs of dolls or creating new reciprocal friendship narratives.
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.