Laurie Hernandez has been inspiring girls everywhere ever since she brought home a gold medal from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Now the Olympian will be able to inspire kids right in their homes since Mattel has created a Barbie in honor of Laurie as part of their Shero line. The company said in a statement the line is a tribute to women who "have broken boundaries in their fields and have been an inspiration to the next generation of girls."
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The gymnast, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is being honored by the toy company for her success as an athlete, alongside other women who have also made a major impact on the world. Laurie said in an interview that she has always been a fan of Barbie dolls since she was a child, but having one made of herself has a much bigger meaning. "Now girls are gonna be able to go find my doll and look at her and realize she has curls like them too, and if they want to try gymnastics, they can," she said. "So I think that Barbie's doing something incredible here."
Laurie shared a happy selfie to introduce her new doll.
"GUYS!! I’m so excited to announce the launch of my very own 'Shero' @barbie," she captioned the smiling selfie. "Breaking boundaries and reminding all girls that you can be ANYTHING. "
The Barbie is available in stores now!
The Latina shot a video to promote the new toy, and she said she wishes it helps inspire other girls like her to reach for the stars!
The company shared a closeup of the gorgeous Barbie.
"Girls need more role models like @LaurieHernandez_ because imagining that they can be anything is just the beginning. Actually seeing that they can makes all the difference," the caption read.
Laurie is proud of this moment, even after winning a gold and silver medal as part of the U.S. women's gymnastics team.
Laurie shared the post on Twitter and captioned it: "MOM N DAD I MADE IT."
