Native Americans are set to get quality representation on TV with the new cartoon series known as Molly of Denali. Many of us will agree that Native Americans haven’t been represented well in media, but this cartoon with a 10-year-old lead is aiming to change that.
The show is the latest from PBS Kids and the first on the network to feature Native American lead characters. Now, we understand that Molly of Denali will premiere on July 15, 2019, which is this coming Monday, so keep an eye out for that.
“Throughout history, Native Americans have long been misrepresented in Western media through film and cartoons like Peter Pan and Pocahontas that are shown to kids at a young age,” according to Sovereign Bill, the 14-year-old Native American who voices Molly, and several other characters. “These shows can leave doubts about cultural identity for native kids and, for every other kid, provide wrong information on the legacy of Native Americans.
Now, we’ve come to understand that this is Sovereign’s first acting appearance, and certainly, should things go in the right direction, shell definitely be given more opportunities in the near future.
For now, the focus is on Molly of Denali, a show designed not only to showcase natives but also to deliver infinite adventures in the Alaskan hometown of Qyah.