Newest American Girl doll of the year has Metuchen, NJ roots

Every year American Girl announces a doll of the year, and 2023’s American Girl doll happens to be a Jersey girl!

Meet Kavika Sharma, otherwise known as Kavi. Not only is she significant because of her Jersey ties, she’s also the first South Asian “Girl of the Year.”

Kavi lives in Metuchen, New Jersey, with her Indian-American family. This conveniently puts her just a train ride away from New York City, one of her favorite places. She loves to see Broadway shows, according to American Doll.

Kavi, we would get along! We’re both big fans of the musical Wicked.

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She likes to sing, dance, and perform, so naturally, a stage set and songwriting items are included with the doll, in addition to her Bollywood dance costume.

Ever the proud Jersey girl, Kavi hopes to attend Princeton University just like her dad.

Metuchen is happy to welcome Kavi, in a statement Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch said:

Our borough is a diverse, vibrant community with residents and programming that reflect the world around us. Kavi is a welcome addition to the ‘brainy borough’ and we can’t wait for the children in our community to share her and their Metuchen stories with the rest of the country.

The hope for Kavi is to teach young girls to share their talents, find a healthy work/ life balance and be proud of who they are.

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According to author Varsha Baja:

Kavi is a trailblazer as American Girl’s first Indian American doll. The story is important to all the young girls who will see parts of their lives represented. Stories can be both mirrors and windows, allowing readers to see themselves and others who are different from them, and I hope that Kavi’s story is a welcoming window for girls who might be unfamiliar with Kavi’s world.

You can purchase the American Girl doll and accessories here.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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