As an African American girl, there are few Disney films I can relate to on a really deep level. The Princess and The Frog is the only movie released by Disney that even attempts to dig into the African American experience. Even then, the issue of race is danced around in order to keep the fairytale whimsy in tact. Other Disney movies with princesses of color don't even have that much going for it in terms of racial political discussion.

Okay, here's why Zootopia is one of the few Disney films I have no complaints about: it beautifully introduces issues such as prejudice, stereotypes, segregation, and racism without being heavy-handed. The film genuinely shows that even people who think they're open-minded can still have preconceived notions about someone. This film is an amazing tool to teach kids this kind of stuff without immediately diving into the complex subject of skin color just yet. And on top of all that, even if there was a definite villain, there was a lot of work for every character to do to unlearn their initial prejudices. Even with all of that, the two main characters both have great chemistry whether you read romance into it or not. For a Disney movie, this is huge.

Inside Out and Zootopia are paving the way for Disney tackling deeper concepts with grace and an open mind. As a black Disney fan, Zootopia is definitely a film that I appreciate.