We’re used to being inundated with baby product commercials featuring “perfect” children, or rather, what the media perceives to be “perfect”. However, many of us think that all children are perfect just the way they are.
Now the American baby food brand Gerber seems to have realized that too, and has selected a baby spokesperson that reflects these values.
The new face of the brand has surprised the world, and now many people are celebrating their decision.
Gerber holds an annual contest to choose their baby of the year. The chosen baby becomes the face that appears on their products, and reflects the values of the brand.
After the most recent call for entries, launched on the company’s social media pages, hundreds of thousands of parents sent photos of their children. The selection was not a simple task, with judges having 140,000 candidates to choose from.
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But now we know who has been chosen, and Baby Gerber 2018 is … Lucas Warren! The little one from Georgia won the judges over with his smile and tenderness, and has become the first child with Down syndrome to be the face of the brand. The company’s CEO, Bill Partyka says:
“Every year, we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber’s longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby. This year, Lucas is the perfect fit.”
Luke’s dad, Jason Warren, told Today that he hopes that people with special needs will be seen normally by the rest of society and accepted for who they are, adding that children with special needs have the power to change the world, just like any other person.
The family has received a prize of USD $50,000, which will go towards Lucas’ education.
I think it’s wonderful that this year’s Gerber baby is making children with Down syndrome more visible. All children are different and they’re all wonderful. Hit the share button if you agree!
