BARRIO – Mattel has created a barbie in honor of Katya Echazarreta, the first Mexican woman to travel into space.
Katya Echazarreta is a source of pride in Mexico and throughout Latin America. An astronaut and engineer, Katya was the first Mexican woman and the youngest American woman to travel to outer space.
As part of the Blue Origin NS-21 mission team, the young Mexican woman reached the stars in June 2022. She was only 27. Katya was part of the Space for Humanity program, a non-profit organization.
According to Mattel, Barbie has pursued over 40 STEM careers, including astrophysicist, rocket scientist, doctor, and robotics engineer. While in the real world, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, they make up only less than one-third of the STEM workforce.
“STEM is a field where women are severely underrepresented. Our hope is that honouring these seven leaders in science and technology will encourage girls to follow their passion in this field,” Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie & Dolls with Mattel, said in a statement.
The doll, which Katya Echazarreta inspires, was created by Mattel based on the astronaut’s physical image.