http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-et-trb-disney-latina-princess-parks-debut-20160429-snap-htmlstory.html
Princesa Elena, Disney's "first" Latina princess is about to make her debut on TV this summer and in Disney parks. But what advocates and fans fail to realize is that Elena is not a Latina princess but she is the "first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures." Latinos have not been represented in the media and if they have, they've been stereotyped. We can see this with popular films Maid in Manhattan and in politics (aka Trump).
Elena also is not getting a feature film like other up and coming princesses of color such as Hawaiian princess Moana. It seems that this princess is being excluded from the opportunity that other princesses of color have had. This could be because of the all the controversy around illegal immigration in our country which could have influenced producers' decision to not make Elena a feature film. I'm not sure but I do hope is that this show actually showcases the history and traditions of Hispanic culture and moves away from stereotypical characters such as Dora. And maybe down the road we can get a feature film about a Latina princess.
I think it is an important distinction that Princesa Elena is not the first Latina disney princess, but rather the first to be "inspired by diverse Latin cultures." There is a plethora of different Latin cultures and the reality is that many individuals come from a combination of several cultures, thus the media should depict this. Additionally, I think you made an important point about moving away from stereotypical characters, such as Dora. The role Dora has played in cultivating the minds of youths around the world into thinking people of Latin decent fit this stereotypical mold has made an endless impact and the media should focus on drawing away from that frequently unrealistic mold.
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