This is Melissa Shang, a 10-year-old who suffers from Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a form of muscular dystrophy.
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Like a lot of young kids, Melissa has fallen in love with American Girl dolls, but she says there isn’t a doll “like her” available. So she recorded this heartwarming and articulate video directed at the company.
“I’ve read all the American Girl doll books, and I’ve seen all the movies, and I’m ready for an American Girl doll who looks like me,” she says.
“Disabled girls are American girls too. We face challenges and overcome them everyday.”
The petition that Melissa and her older sister started in December has since garnered over 130,000 signatures.
As of now, you can buy a wheelchair as an accessory for any doll, but apparently no specific girl has a story or book about being disabled.
American Girl did not respond immediately to say whether they were aware of the petition, or were considering releasing a doll with a physical disability.
