ORLANDO, Fla. – “Encanto,” Disney’s newest hit movie, is gaining praise for its diverse characters.
Orlando Pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones told News 6 that watching the film with her family was a refreshingly relatable experience.
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“As a Black mom I was like ‘About time,’ you know? About time that I can see my family or something that resembles my family in a whole movie and that my daughter and my son can see themselves in those characters,” Jones said.
Jones isn’t the only one who sees herself in “Encanto.” A little boy recently went viral after a social media post showed him standing next to a still of Antonio, one of the youngest characters featured in the movie, who he resembled.
The film “represents a culture or a look that you often don’t see,” Jones said. However, she said it’s important that kids see more content like this because “it gives a sense of belonging, it gives a sense of possibility.”
Jones said it’s not just good for little Brown and Black kids that see a representation of themselves on the big screen, but good for society as a whole. “We don’t need a colorblind society. We need a society that sees the richness of everyone ... and appreciates it,” Jones said.
For more material that reflects diverse communities, Dr. Jones recommended checking out EmbraceRace.org.