Dec. 30 (UPI) — American Girl has unveiled its 2022 Girl of the Year.
The company introduced the new doll Corinne Tan on Thursday ahead of the new year.
Corinne is a Chinese American girl living in Aspen, Colo. The character enjoys skiing, being an older sibling to her sister Gwynn, and training her puppy to be a search-and-rescue dog.
Corinne’s challenges include her parents’ divorce and facing anti-Asian remarks.
“Although surefooted and brave on the mountain, Corinne must find her balance as she adjusts to her new blended family and the courage to speak up when faced with xenophobic comments,” an official description reads.
Gwynn is also available as a companion doll.
“As we celebrate the new year, we’re excited to welcome Corinne and Gwynn Tan to our popular Girl of the Year lineup with meaningful stories that reflects on what it means to be an American girl today,” American Girl general manager Jamie Cygielman said in a press release.
“While filled with outdoor adventure and fun, Corinne’s message is, ultimately, about the power of love — between families, friends, and communities — and the strength and courage that comes from it,” she added. “We created Corinne to be a positive role model our fans can look up to and learn from as we all work toward a world where everyone is treated fairly and with respect.”
American Girl worked with Wendy Wan-Long Shang and illustrator Peijin Yang to create the books Corinne and Corinne to the Rescue.
“What I really hope is that there is some part of Corinne’s story that makes readers feel seen, whether it’s because they are Asian American, or because they’re part of a blended family, or because they love skiing,” Shang said. “I think when readers feel seen, they realize that they matter and their experiences matter, and that they are meant to be the stars of their own stories!”
Retired Olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski and actress Jenna Alvarez will host a live stream celebrating Corinne’s launch Saturday on New Year’s Day. Figure skater Alysa Liu will also take part in the event.
The Corinne collection is available now.