Professional tennis champ Naomi Osaka, a young mogul in the making, has become an entrepreneur, social activist, an advocate for mental health and more — using her platform to be the change that the world so desperately needs these days.
According to Afro Tech, her latest endeavor includes her very own Barbie doll as a part of Mattel’s Barbie Role Model series. This is a collection of dolls that honors global role models from diverse backgrounds and fields who are breaking boundaries to inspire the next generation of girls, according to the company’s website. Osaka is of mixed heritage, Black and Japanese.
In fact, this isn’t the first time that Osaka has partnered with Barbie. She served as one of the brand’s shero dolls back in 2019.
Once again, Osaka’s doll can hardly be kept on shelves. CNN reports that just hours after its release, the Barbie doll, which sports a Nike tennis dress and white visor — an outfit that Osaka wore during the 2020 Australian Open — has sold out.
“Obviously Naomi’s athletic skill is unmatched, that’s a fact,” said Carlyle Nuera, the designer Barbie commissioned to create the doll in a press release. “But what I personally admire the most about Naomi Osaka is how she uses her platform, the spotlight on her and her voice, to raise awareness about social justice.”
Her hope is that this doll will inspire young girls to know that they have the power to do anything that they put their minds to.
