Hit cartoon 'Dora the Explorer' could create more enlightened generation

Each episode relies on the advice of educators and cultural experts, and can take more than a year to produce, in part because not one gets into the air without first being screened in front of the most honest and feared jury: at least 75 children. “Just the heartbreak to see those kids disappointed! We really take it personally. ... These 3 year olds,” Gifford said. They really listen to the children, said Walsh Valdes.

Dora's voice has been portrayed the last three years by Caitlin Sanchez. The 14-year-old succeeded the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, when she left to go to college.

“It's really an honor to play an icon,” said Sanchez, who enjoys making the voice of the Latina idol in front of her little fans, who immediately recognize it: “It's Dora!” “She's got Dora inside her mouth!”

“Dora is like the most helping person in the world,” the young actress said. “I have learned a lot from her, too. ... She's a great role model.”

Stars such as Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek have spoken about the relationship of Dora with their families.

“There's a 'Dora the Explorer' (episode) where Dora's mom has twins — a boy and a girl,” Jolie told People magazine in 2008, noting how her older children got ready for the arrival of her own twins. “They watched that a lot.”

“I love Dora! She's been such a part of my relationship with my child,” said Hayek at the show's 10th anniversary press conference in March. “I love that it's bilingual and that she's a heroine who has Latin roots.”

Meanwhile, a Dora balloon made its debut in Macy's 2005 Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, the first time for a Latino character.

“It's flattering, but it also speaks about how Dora has transcended from just being a preschool show. There's something really amazing in her ability to cross over,” said Walsh Valdes.

“Dora” has aired against the backdrop of the immigration debate. When the new Arizona law was announced, a photo of Dora behind bars as a suspected illegal immigrant made the rounds on the Internet.

Such is the influence of Dora, Cortes said, that future fans could affect the political future of America. A 5-year-old viewer in 2000 is now 15.

“It will be another three years until they go to college and be able to vote, and I think we may see a difference. You can't be certain, but our hope is that young people of all backgrounds will be more open,” he said. “If Dora can do that, her impact is unimaginable.”

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