One-Of-A-Kind Barbie Doll Honors for Jordan Reeves
Back in December 2015, Jordan decided to use her voice to encourage change in what we see on the toy shelves. She saw mainstream toy companies adding new accessories to help kids feel like they weren't left out. So she started a Change.org campaign asking for limb difference options.
The combination of her petition and Project Unicorn invention helped Jordan find her confidence and voice as a member of the disability community. I've supported her through these four years with pride, support, guidance and energy to grow this blog into a special nonprofit. A lot of our progress has focused on those two efforts that developed at the very end of 2015 and into the start of 2016.
This year feels like we reached peak doll and glitter pride. Project Unicorn is a featured creation at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry's Wired to Wear exhibit that goes until May 2020. Our book, Born Just Right, came out. And Jordan can say she helped kick off a new revolution in disability representation with the release of a new Barbie Fashionistas doll that uses a removable prosthetic leg.
Jordan got to show off her book at an event at Target's Corporate Headquarters.
As part of Jordan's work with Mattel and Barbie, Jordan had a chance to talk about disability, design and inclusion at a couple of events this fall. First, she spoke at Concordia Annual Summit in New York City. Jordan and Mattel Senior Vice President of Design Kim Culmone chatted with Jess Weiner at the summit about how Jordan gave insight that changed the way the Barbie design team released the doll this year.
Jordan and Kim also chatted with Mattel Senior Director Nathan Baynard during a family event at Target Corporate Headquarters in Minneapolis on International Day of the Girl. Jordan also got to meet kids who attended the event, sign books and when the 100 books ran out, she signed boxes of the prothetic-wearing Barbie doll.
Nathan, Jordan and Kim on stage talking about inclusive design and dolls.
At the end of the event, Jordan was given a one-of-a-kind honor of a Barbie doll that looks JUST like her. It matches her from head to toe - from the pink shirt to the glitter shoes. It's not something you see every day. Senior designer Judy Choi made something remarkably similar to Jordan including her very Jordan-like smirk.
Jordan with her one of a kind doll!
Thank you to Mattel for trusting Jordan's knowledge of what it's like to live with a limb difference. Thank you for recognizing Jordan with this honor. We can't wait to see all the additional ways you show physical differences in the future. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.
Seriously, how real is this? Plus, that Project Unicorn shoots glitter!