While watching Disney’s latest smash hit animation, Encanto, a film about a magical family living in the mountains of Colombia, 2-year-old, Kenzo Brooks from New York City, beamed with delight, spotting that Antonio, one of the characters in the film, looks just like him!
The importance of being seen on screen
Kaheisha Brand, Kenzo’s mum told PopSugar:
“He seemed to be in awe, just smiling and staring at the screen. Then he stood up and looked back at his dad and me, still smiling. For him, I truly believe that he thought he was seeing himself because of the resemblance between him and Antonio.”
“It was the impact of feeling seen. It is essential for Black children to feel seen and to be connected to positive and empowering images for their self-esteem.”
“We didn’t have this growing up. What’s so special about Encanto was that it didn’t stop at just showing us brown characters. It showed the diversity in hair textures and skin tone. I’m so grateful for moments like this because I’m aware of its impact, especially for brown boys and girls.”
Keep up with Kenzo on Instagram here.

Take note Hollywood! Encanto is taking the world by storm!
- Encanto, which has 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, won the award for the Best Animated Feature Film at the 79th Golden Globe Awards this year, and has thus far grossed over $215 Million (and counting) at the Box Office.
- The Encanto Soundtrack, which features music written by Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda, is the first Soundtrack since Frozen 2 to top the Billboard 200 Chart. One of the songs from the film, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” has also become a global phenomenon, reaching #1 on the US Spotify Chart!
Connect with Porky’s
Facebook. Instagram.Twitter .Youtube .Pinterest .WhatsApp
Subscribe to Porky’s here
Support Us
Support Porky’s in spreading kindness and helpful information by making a donation.
- Donate to our BackaBuddy campaign: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/support-porkys
- Donate Via Snapscan: https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/supportporkys
