On March 29, about 50 high school students and community leaders assembled outside the American Girl Company Headquarters. Their message came through loud and clear:

Don’t mess with Pilsen.

As detailed in the March 2005 issue of Third Coast Press, many Pilsen residents were upset earlier this year when the company released “Marisol”, a Latina doll whose family was leaving the neighborhood because it was too dangerous. Residents argued that the story had been formulated without consulting Pilsen residents and perpetuated negative stereotypes of an urban Latino neighborhood while ignoring the positive things going on in the vibrant community.

Students from Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy, an alternative school in Pilsen, joined students from the Pedro Albizu Campos Alternative High School in Humboldt Park in calling for the company to withdraw the book about Marisol. They also asked the company to put its money where its mouth is by offering 15 scholarships for local students and funding for youth programs, to demonstrate that it has a genuine interest in the neighborhood beyond selling dolls and books.

”They’re making money off the community but not investing in it,” says Lozano student Adam Rios.

Maria Quintana, a Lozano student who spoke at the rally and delivered the students’ requests for scholarships, says she believes the rally was a success. “It was amazing for young people to get together and have our voices heard,” says Quintana. “That doesn’t happen often enough.”

“I think we should be proud of what we did,” agrees Lozano student Alfredo Martinez. “If they don’t respond to us, we’ll have to work even harder to show them what we’ve got.”

Students and community leaders say that any perception of Pilsen as a particularly dangerous neighborhood is simply untrue.

“I love Pilsen. I grew up there and I go over there all the time,” says Krystina Negron, 17, a student at Pedro Albizu Campos. “I think we got our point across.”

“These are our communities, they’re not bad,” says Che Guevara, 17, a student at Albizu Campos. “You can’t take our culture and spit on it. We’re going to fight that.”

A statement from American Girl points out that Marisol did call Pilsen “the best place in the world” and was sad to leave. It said the family’s decision to move was based on wanting a house rather than apartment, wanting a yard, and her mother’s desire to be closer to work.

“(Author Gary) Soto chose to set the story in this neighborhood because, upon his numerous visits there, he was impressed and intrigued by its charm, rich tradition and energy,” says the statement. “We are proud to have created this beautiful and engaging Latina character for millions of girls of all races, backgrounds and cultures to enjoy.”

Pilsen Ald. Danny Solis called on American Girl to “regain Pilsen’s trust in your company”—a request that some snickered at, since many Pilsen families could not afford to shop at the store, which sells most dolls for $85.

Several speakers mentioned the gentrification going on in Pilsen, and theorized that the book could be part of an effort to move low-income Latinos out and clear the area for higher-income people. Even if there was no actual attempt to do so, others noted, no realistic story about Pilsen could ignore the ever-present gentrification issue.

”There are other issues like gentrification going on in Pilsen,” said Yvonne Nieves, a counselor at Albizu Campos. “Maybe if the book said little Marisol moved out because she couldn’t afford the rent anymore, that would be more realistic.”