The Barbie You Can Be Anything Series returned to celebrate International Day of the Girl with two new episodes in October 2021. Gold medal gymnast Laurie Hernandez served as the host for these fun, new episodes, bringing back her bubbly personality that the YCBA audience loved in Episode 4! Also back for more was TIME for Kids, featuring a new class of kid reporters ready to interview these role models.
In the “Let’s Get Creative” episode, we put the spotlight on creativity and self-expression, featuring a conversation with music producer, Ester Dean, a performance by dancers from the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, an exclusive music video launch from DJ Sparkle of Girls Make Beats, a choreography lesson from dancer and trainer Meagan Kong, plus a knitting tutorial from reporter and artist, Shayna Rose.
In Episode 6, host Laurie Hernandez introduced viewers to several inspiring female role models, including conversations with aspiring astronaut Alyssa Carson, medical hero and Barbie Role Model Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz, veterinarian Dr. Niccole Bruno, one of the best track and field athletes in the world, medalist Sydney McLaughlin, and a dance to get kids to the finish line with Chani Bell.
The series once again created awareness for Barbie’s Dream Gap initiative. Research shows that starting at age five, many girls stop believing they can be anything. This is called the dream gap, and to help close it, Barbie launched the Dream Gap Project in 2018. This ongoing global initiative gives girls the resources and support they need to continue believing in themselves.