“Mom, can we go see the new movie Encanto?” I screamed to my mother 3 rooms away and little did I know that saying those words would lead me down a path of belonging. It was an exhilarating drive to the theater as my father was excitedly jumping up and down in his seat. It was the first time he felt a personal connection to a movie and we were not stopping him. Encanto was something special, as it showed the beauty of Colombia. Never in his life, nor mine, did we believe a movie about his home country would be created, especially in animation and by Disney. If I’m being completely honest, it’s because of the stigma that Colombia is dangerous. I had grown up with stories, listened to music, ate the food, and visited the beautiful country multiple times, but it wasn’t until I saw a little girl named Mirabel on the big screen that all of these memories came rushing back to me and showed me that my culture is something special and one I should embrace.
My father is from Colombia and very proud of his heritage. Why wouldn’t he be proud of his homeland especially when his childhood and early adulthood were spent there? Well, this proud Colombian introduced me to Colombia at a very young age, and growing up, I never fully understood its beauty. This lack of full understanding made me take everything for granted. I think at the time, I wasn’t aware of this lack of understanding, but looking back, I didn’t understand a single thing. I was like “Oh I’m Colombian, so what.” It wasn’t until COVID-19 hit that I lost it all. I lost the trips, I lost the ability to go to the Colombian restaurants close by, you name it.
After going to the theater and watching Encanto, I was truly shocked. Everything the Madrigal family did was accurate. I don’t know why I ever doubted it, but while watching the movie, I remember thinking, “Oh, I did that” and “That sounds like my grandmother.”
Once the movie was finished, I sat in the car and couldn’t believe what I had just seen. This wow moment made me appreciate what I had. Why a movie though? Why did a movie have such an impact on me when I had my father? Why did this movie come out during a time when what I had was gone instantly?
Did COVID-19 take away all the physical attributes like visits and going to places, yes, but Encanto made me realize that this pandemic didn’t take away anything. Instead, it helped me embrace my Colombian roots. When I tell people I’m Colombian and they ask if my family is like the Madrigals, I 100% say “Yes” and thank them for the compliment. I wish I could have realized all this from my father since I see and talk to him every day, but hearing and watching my culture on the big screen made me proud of my heritage.
I can’t thank Disney enough for releasing Encanto because watching this movie made me realize who I am today. When it comes to how I would describe myself in the sense of my background and culture, my answers before COVID and after would be completely different.
It doesn’t matter where you’re from, or the culture you choose to embrace. As long as you embrace it well and are proud to celebrate it to be who you are, nobody, and I mean nobody, can take that away from you!