At the forefront of our work in this space is AFB’s professional services division. AFB’s professional services work with clients in the real world, supporting them in making their products or services more accessible. It’s a critical element for building and bolstering our strategic partnerships to advance our mission and vision.
This vision became tangible during FY2025 when AFB announced its partnership with one of the world’s leading promoters of play. In July 2024, Mattel introduced Blind Barbie to the global marketplace. This collaboration between AFB’s professional services and Mattel built on the success of their Fashionista line of Barbie dolls, which features a wide range of dolls representing different cultures and abilities.
“Through this collaboration, we made major strides toward creating a positive narrative around blindness. So many of our perceptions and opinions about others are formed during our earliest years. And thanks to Mattel, we were able to portray a positive, independent, and frankly, a very cool and stylish image of a person who happens to be blind.”
— Eric Bridges, AFB President & CEO
Drawing on AFB’s more than 100 years of expertise, the Blind Barbie was crafted with authenticity and care, featuring tactile accessories, a white cane, and fashion that celebrates both functionality and style.
This initiative sparked conversation across the globe, inspiring young minds to see blindness not as a limitation but as part of the diverse human experience. More than a toy, Blind Barbie became a symbol of how AFB’s partnerships can transform perception and move culture toward inclusion.
“Blind Barbie is a powerful reminder that when representation mirrors reality, the horizon of possibility expands for everyone.”
— Stephanie Enyart, AFB Chief Public Policy & Research Officer
The partnership leveraged subject matter experts from across AFB, including research, marketing, and digital accessibility. Every aspect of accurate representation and inclusion was addressed, from the dexterity of her arms for using a cane to ensuring all marketing materials were fully accessible.
In the end, AFB contributed to the overall success of Blind Barbie. Within the first 48 hours of its launch, news of the release garnered over 2.8 billion impressions across the globe. It quickly became one of the top-selling dolls of the year. AFB has received countless stories from professionals and consumers who are blind, proudly displaying their own Blind Barbie as a sign of pride in their identity.
“Misconceptions of blindness remain one of the greatest hurdles we encounter in society,” said Tony Stephens, AFB assistant vice president for communications. “Thanks to the support and backing of Mattel’s robust marketing and communications, we were able to have a truly global reach promoting a much more authentic representation of blindness — one that will be long-lasting as children grow into adulthood and take with them the experiences that will form future perceptions and opinions of people with disabilities.”
To make Blind Barbie as accessible as possible, AFB received a generous donation of the physical dolls from Mattel and is working to distribute them to elementary students who are both sighted and blind or have low vision.
