Coco was a masterpiece from beginning to end; a technical phenomenon with a story that will make anyone, especially folks with knowledge of the Dia De Los Muertos theme, choke up with emotion. Coco is also breaking box office records around the globe including in China where it is already the biggest animated film ever.
About 15 years ago, Lalo Alcaraz, a Latino political cartoonist, spoke at a NAHREP luncheon in San Diego about his work. Alcaraz made waves a few years ago when it became public that Disney had supported then California Governor Pete Wilson, who in 1984 was the driving force behind the notorious Proposition 187 which was a bill that denied public services to undocumented immigrants in California. Alcaraz created a character he called Migra Mouse which was a play on Mickey Mouse designed to alert Latinos, who are a primary revenue source for Disney’s theme parks, that the powers inside the Magic Kingdom may be working against them behind the scenes. The cartoon had an impact, and when Coco received a green light, Disney hired Lalo as a “cultural consultant.” According to Alcaraz, his position was real and Disney ended up with a better product because of it. Bravo to Lalo Alcaraz, one of our most treasured creative geniuses. See more of his work here.