When you become a mother, you start to wonder how your child will fit into the world they’re born into. You wonder who will they become, how will they be received. Those wonders seem magnified when you’re raising multiracial children. At least they are to me. So when this past week, while attending an event called the Disney Social Media Moms at Walt Disney World, Elena of Avalor’s princess dress was unveiled to a crowd of parent bloggers, I gasped.
OK, I admit it. I cried. Disney has always had a way of making me cry, but this time was different. The resemblance of my little girl to Princess Elena of Avalor was startling (especially in these images I took recently) and wonderful and a very long time coming…
Growing up, I had a stepmom who passed down a serious love of Disney to me and my siblings. Though unlike the stepmoms portrayed in their films (mine was kind and loving), she looked nothing like me and I struggled with that in various ways. Now, as a Latina mom to my own little, brown beauty, I purposely seek out opportunities for my children to see themselves in media and in their society.
As I had hoped for when I was a little girl, Disney princesses have become multicultural, brown… and now, Latina. With the upcoming debut of Disney Channel’s Elena of Avalor, her ruby gown was recently debuted and, upon seeing the image for the first time, I was struck by how much she reminded me of my own princess, my daughter, Alina. With virtues of strength and commitment to familia, Elena and her ruby gown struck me as the most beautiful Disney reflection for my growing black Latina.
About Elena of Avalor’s Princess Gown
Disney collaborated with Project Runway All Stars’ Layana Aguilar to design the ballgown for Elena of Avalor, Disney’s first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore. Elena will make her debut in a TV series this summer on Disney Channel.
“Elena of Avalor” follows the story of Elena, a brave and adventurous teenager who saves her kingdom from an evil sorceress and must now learn to rule as the crowned princess until she is old enough to be queen. Elena’s adventures will lead her to understand that her new role requires thoughtfulness, resilience and compassion, the traits of all truly great leaders.
Princess Elena will wear her beautiful ruby dress at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort when she begins making appearances later this year and I’s SO excited to meet her! At Walt Disney World Resort, Elena will appear in the Magic Kingdom beginning in August. At Disneyland Resort, she will appear at Disney California Adventure this fall.
I can’t wait to share more about Princess Elena of Avalor as information comes in, but for now, know that this is a good thing for Latina moms. Though I wish we’d be seeing this beautiful character on the big screen in her own featured film, I’m happy that she is coming into our homes on a regualr basis to show our babies how strong, charismatic and beautiful our culture is.
I still have so many questions, though! Like will she have an accent? Will she be bilingual? Will her character be a live-faced version at the Disney Parks? Will she make the jump to a featured film?
What an exciting time to be a kid! And not just for our brown babies, but kids of all backgrounds who are excited to explore new cultures and language and thematic stories that connect us all. Because, though we might look or sound different, themes like family and honor and values aren’t all that different between us.
Photo credit: Gown unveiling at #DisneySMMC: Preston Mack/Disney, Fashion designer Layana Aguilar: Disney Channel/Lorenzo Bevilaqua
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