Dora the Explorer' turns 25: Speaking Spanish in the United States is a superpower'

"In the late 1990s, Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes obsessively sought to create a cartoon series that would impact society and go down in history. They wanted to give it an interactive feel, something unheard of at the time, but they weren't sure who the protagonist should be. They thought about cats and rabbits. Then the idea of a girl, Nina, carrying a backpack emerged."

"The final identity of the character was settled when Nickelodeon suggested that the girl be Latina, as a response to the underrepresentation of the community in American media. Thus, on August 14, 2000, Dora the Explorer was born, a series that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and remains a global phenomenon: broadcast in over 150 countries, translated into 32 languages, and one of the most-watched programs among preschool audiences worldwide."

"To facilitate cultural immersion, the non-Spanish speakers hired a team of Latino writers, educators, composers, and cultural advisors, many of whom over the years went on to work on or create their own animations, in the same vein as Dora, like the PBS cartoons, including the Puerto Rican girl in Alma's Way or the Mexican-American Rosie from Rosie's Rules. They say that Latino animation creators in the United States are a community; rather than competing, they remain united."

In the late 1990s Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes aimed to create an interactive cartoon protagonist and ultimately developed Dora, a Latina girl introduced on August 14, 2000. Dora grew into a global preschool phenomenon broadcast in over 150 countries and translated into 32 languages. The creators traveled to Latin America and hired Latino writers, educators, composers, and cultural advisors to ensure cultural authenticity. Dora combines family connections with an independent, adventurous heroine. The series helped catalyze a community of Latino animation creators in the United States and influenced later shows featuring Latino characters and cultural elements.

Read at english.elpais.com