Girl with Down syndrome shines in American Girl's holiday catalog: 'This is needed'
Amy Haneline
Kristin Kimble is one proud and "shocked" mom.
Her 4-year-old daughter Ivy, who has Down syndrome, is making headlines all over the world for her photos in American Girl's October holiday catalog.
But the mom isn't really all that surprised that her daughter has stolen hearts everywhere.
"Ivy has this magnetic personality. I feel like you can't meet her and not instantly fall in love with her," Kimble told USA TODAY. "Everybody loves her."
The New Lenox, Illinois, mom said that her daughter landed in the catalog after she and her other three daughters went to a casting call in Chicago. She had heard that the company was looking for models through a Facebook group.
Flash-forward and the mom had an email saying that Ivy was selected.
They went to the photo shoot where Ivy was "chatting everybody up" in the hair and makeup trailer. The shoot took place in the spring, but it wasn't until October that Kimble got word that her daughter's photos were used.
"I was like 'Oh my gosh! She made it!" Kimble shared.
American Girl spokesperson Julie Parks said that they were "thrilled" to work with Ivy.
"She's adorable and great to work with, and the shots we captured with her (for our catalogs) are beautiful," Parks said in an emailed response to USA TODAY. "We look forward to continuing our work in celebrating all girls."
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Kimble said that her daughter being thrust into the spotlight is a "huge step in the right direction" for children and adults with disabilities, who are "underrepresented" in the media.
"You need to feel like you're represented in the world. You need to feel like you have a place in the world. And I think it's so important to see that," she said.
But the mom also has a goal that one day we won't be "celebrating this type of thing. That it's just happening all the time. That it's not such big news."
Until then, she is happy with the "baby steps."
"It's starting a conversation everywhere about inclusion," she said. "It shows you that we are living in time right now where this is needed and it's great that this is happening."
Between American Girl's catalog, retail stores, website and social channels, the brand's reach is in the millions, the company told USA TODAY.
Ivy will also be featured on the cover of one of American Girl's November catalogs.
She isn't the first girl with Down Syndrome to appear in American Girl catalogs. The company noted that it has featured five girls with Down Syndrome (including Ivy) in their advertising going back to 2014.
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