A young Aboriginal girl went from trying to scrub off her skin following a racially charged comment to feeling once again proud of who she is, thanks to Queen Elsa of Arendelle herself, telling her to let it go. Samara, 3, daughter of Victoria, Australia, resident Rachel Muir, was dressed as Queen Elsa and patiently waiting for a Disney event at a Melbourne mall to get started. Another mother at the event told the youngster she could not dress as the Frozen character because “Elsa isn’t black,” causing the youngster to cry. In addition, the mother’s daughter told Samara that “black is ugly.” Elsa was Samara’s favorite character.
Following the incident with the mother, Samara could not let it go. The little girl was so deeply affected by the incident that she would soap herself up so much in the tub that she would tell her mother she was now white, and she had also avoided her aboriginal dance classes. However, 20-year-old Meghan Hope, who hails from Ballarat, Victoria, heard about the incident all the way in Walt Disney World, Florida, and was appalled that an adult would say something like that, particularly to a young child. Hope has been studying overseas and working as a lifeguard at Walt Disney World. As it turns out, she couldn’t let it go, either, but unlike Samara, she had connections.
Hope spoke with Queen Elsa herself and made arrangements for Arendelle ‘s queen to send a message to the youngster. Muir says her daughter’s surprise that Elsa would take the time to talk to her was a little overwhelming, and that they were in tears upon seeing the video. She reported that Samara couldn’t believe that Elsa would send her a message, and that the message seems to have soothed the little girl’s trauma, at least in part.
Muir said that Samara was stunned by the video. “She kept saying over and over ‘She’s talking to me.’ ”
For her part, Hope just wanted to do something to show Samara that the power of Disney magic was still alive and well, and she did not want the little girl to let it go. She also notes that she was horrified by the incident. “I was upset to hear that someone could be so hurtful to a young child,” she said.
The Twitterverse has come alive with support for Hope’s supportive move.
Queen Elsa’s heartfelt video message to racially abused girl-Meghan Hope, YOU ROCK!! http://t.co/nTal9paWoC via @MailOnline
— LV Chili Pepper (@Chilipepper427) June 24, 2015
https://twitter.com/laurenlaverne/status/613434724732825600
Please RT fandom family! No beautiful girl should get racist comments for dressing as her idol @GeorginaHaig http://t.co/vI5vuNtjNT
— ?SPN?SHARON? (@Supernsharon) June 24, 2015
While Samara has not gone to her aboriginal dance classes since the incident, she is now happily dancing and embracing her culture once again. Her mother reports that she is telling other children that if they scratch their skin, it won’t come off. Hope says she arranged to have Elsa send a video to the girl because “Disney about bringing magic to those who need it most,” she said. “Disney isn’t about discrimination, it is about believing in your dreams and living in a world where your dreams can come true.” It is likely that this is one experience that has left Samara singing “Let It Go” as a reminder of when Queen Elsa told her to ignore people who might be racist and let it go.
[Photo courtesy of Australia’s The Courier ]
