Since the reveal of the Barbie doll in 1959, Mattel has been a household name in the toy industry. In 2015, Mattel launched Barbie Fashionista dolls which featured different skin tones, hair textures, and body shapes in an effort to make the brand more inclusive.
Introduced in 2018, the Inspiring Women Barbie line aimed at celebrating women in history who have inspired and paved the way for young girls. They have dolls honoring tennis player, Naomi Osaka, journalist and Civil Rights activist Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, and many more iconic women.
Mattel added the Cuban queen of salsa, Celia Cruz, to their collection for Hispanic Heritage Month in 2021. The addition of the Celia Cruz Barbie doll symbolizes the celebration of Latin-American culture and customs.
Born Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso, the singer grew up in the low-income neighborhood of Santos Suarez in Cuba. Surrounded by the rich musical diversity of Havana, Cruz began singing at an early age.
Before she was a big star, Cruz was already building an audience. Neighbors would gather at Cruz’s house just to hear her sing. Being the oldest of four siblings, she used her musical talent to put her siblings to sleep at night. People gathered outside her house to hear her and were blown away by her wide vocal range.
Cruz began playing gigs with the local band, El Botón de Oro (The Golden Button). Her cousin saw Cruz’s potential and signed her up for a local radio station contesnt, Hora del té” (the tea hour). Cruz won the contest, and the rest is history.
When a local orchestra band was in need of a singer, Cruz got her big break. She joined the band in 1950 and toured all over North and Central America.
When the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro took power while Cruz and Sonora Matancera were in Mexico, some members decided to stay in the U.S. rather than go back to Cuba.
Cruz became a U.S. citizen in 1961 and the Castro Regime, which was strictly anti-American, exiled her from the country and she was barred from returning to Cuba for the rest of her life. This caused Cruz to miss the death of her mother and father.
New York became Cruz’s new home, and she reached a new level of international fame after joining the Tito Puente orchestra in the mid 1960’s. Cruz became an Afro-Latina icon as she gained popularity and she embraced her African roots with her wardrobe and music.
After being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, Cruz passed away in 2003. Her memory lives on through her music and now, her Barbie doll.
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