When Mattel recently announced its 2023 Girl of the Year doll, at least two American “girls” in Murray – Marli Mehta and yours truly — were excited to hear the news.
I was thrilled because the backstory of the doll, Kavi Sharma, is that she lives in my hometown, Metuchen, NJ. Marli, a 10th grader at Murray High School who confessed she does not play with dolls anymore, was ecstatic to see one that reflects her bi-cultural connections to India and America.
According to Marli’s mother, Erika Mehta, when her daughter was little, finding dolls that resembled her blended ethnicities was disappointing.
Marli Mehta with a Kavi Sharma doll (Photo from Mehta family)
“Growing up, there was little to no representation,” Erika recalled. “Dolls were all these little white girls.”
“I had one doll that sort of looked like me,” Marli piped up. “She was vaguely Indian. Ethnically ambiguous.”
For those unfamiliar with the American Girl brand, it is a product line that is a cornerstone of Mattel’s portfolio. According to the website, “Kavi joins the company’s long line of contemporary characters, introduced more than 20 years ago, that represent a wide range of backgrounds to reflect what it means to be an American girl today.”
Marli pointed out that the experience of being bi-racial is different from most of her peers in Murray. Her grandparents who live in Queens, NY, have a different culture and different experiences of America than their granddaughter has in western Kentucky.
In honor of them and in respect for her heritage, Marli knows about Hindu gods and their stories, and she learns about Indian history and culture by spending time with her paternal grandparents and her father. She does her best but admitted, “I don’t know the language and all of the customs.”
“I’ve never been treated as ‘other’ in Murray,” she added, mentioning that both her parents want her to feel she is as much Indian as she is white.
Although they live in different parts of the country, Marli and Kavi share some important similarities outlined on the American Girl site. They love singing, dancing, and performing, but their daily calendars are also consumed by schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, and hanging out with friends. Both have “a full plate.”
Kavi plays the keyboard, and enjoys singing and dancing. Marli has had years of piano lessons. She also plays French Horn in the concert band, the synthesizer, and the marimba. Every year, she seems to be encouraged to take on another instrument. “Next year,” she said, “I don’t know what it will be.”
Music is a recurring theme in the Mehta family. Marli’s maternal grandparents are Murray State University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music Dennis C. Johnson, and wife Randy Johnson, retired public school music teacher and one-time MSU costume designer. The two met at Interlochen, an esteemed non-profit corporation that began in 1928 as a summer arts camp that supports young domestic and international artists in the pursuit of studying music, theater, dance, visual arts, creative writing, film, and interdisciplinary arts. When she was growing up, Marli spent summers there with her parents, so her interest in music was spawned by those early experiences.
Much like Kavi, Marli’s paternal grandmother infused her granddaughter with passion for musical theatre by taking her to see Broadway shows. “I really loved ‘Wicked,’” Marli declared, “It blew me away.”
Kavi’s special connection with her Dadima (grandmother) was enriched when they attended the girl’s first Broadway show together.
A pleasant merger of two cultures is evident in Marli Mehta’s real life and in Kavi’s fictional milieu. Both families celebrate and share their cultures in meaningful ways through dance, food, clothing, and holidays, and welcome friends and classmates to join in.
Kavi dreams of attending Princeton University just like her dad, and Marli thinks ahead to the possibility of NYU, her father’s alma mater. Getting good grades is important to achieve these lofty academic goals, so both girls strive for good grades. Marli, for example, is preparing to apply to the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts this summer.
For both American girls, finding a balance is important. “Marli wants to do everything,” her mother said.
Since Marli has cousins who live in New Jersey, she hopes to visit Kavi’s hometown. When she does, she will see the impact of Kavi Sharma on a New Jersey community that is about the same size as Murray.
Meanwhile, back in Metuchen, Kavi was the center of attention as the new year approached. Several businesses downtown invited her for photo opportunities in their shops, and a New Year’s Eve party was held at the Metuchen Town Plaza. The event paid homage to Kavi with Bollywood dancers, drummers, and dancing.
In his official welcome to Kavi, 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 last time Metuchen experienced this level of celebrity was in February 2020, when Paul McCartney was spotted strolling down Main Street. An eagle-eyed citizen captured a shot of him in front of the Buttery Bake Shoppe and Mayor Busch described the excitement and buzz that enveloped the town on social media.
With Kavi Sharma’s arrival, the aging Beatle is old news. So farewell Sir Paul. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, life goes on.
