Actress and Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose, best known as the voice of Disney’s first Black princess, returned to her hometown in Connecticut on Thursday for a special book signing aimed at celebrating diversity and promoting childhood literacy.
Rose, who grew up in Bloomfield and voiced Princess Tiana in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” met with dozens of families at CREC Ana Grace Academy of the Arts to highlight her children’s book, “A Princess is a Princess.”
Parents and children lined up with books in hand to meet the actress, who said returning to her hometown is always meaningful.
“It’s always amazing and wonderful to come home. There’s nothing like home,” Rose said.
Her book celebrates diversity and teaches children that being a princess is about more than physical appearance. Rose said the story was inspired by her experiences bringing Princess Tiana to life and seeing the character’s impact on young audiences.
“It goes far beyond what we look like, and so Tiana resonates with the spirit of children. They see themselves in her,” Rose said.
For families attending the event, meeting the woman behind Disney’s first Black princess was about more than getting an autograph.
“As a Black woman, and an Afro-Latina at that, having that representation of a woman that’s Black and of color, to represent a Disney Princess is huge,” said Domali Allen of Hartford.
Allen also praised Rose for returning to the community where she grew up.
“You’re giving back to your community. You’re not forgetting not only where you come from but your love, your passion for where you grew up,” Allen said.
This wasn’t Rose’s first visit to the academy. She held a signing for her first book at the school a couple of years ago.
Rose said promoting literacy among children is especially important because reading can open doors to new opportunities.
“Without literacy, you tend to be stuck in a certain place in a certain way. With literacy, the world is open to you,” Rose said.
For parents like Randall Jenkins of East Hartford, the event was also an opportunity to show his daughters that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.
“Inclusion is key to like success, so if they see themselves in Anika, then who knows what they can accomplish,” Jenkins said.
