12 non-Christmas episodes for the rest of us
By Sundi Rose
The Proud Family: “Seven Days of Kwanzaa”
The coolest thing about Disney’s The Proud Family, is the way it balances irreverent humor and clever writing with the heartfelt. On the surface, The Proud Family was a children’s show, but it low-key addressed issues of race, gender and class in America. It was smart and topical, but packaged in a way that never felt like you were you eating your veggies. It was just as entertaining for adults as it was for the children.
The Proud Family was one of the first Disney Channel Original series and won awards for its tongue in cheek tone and engaging storytelling about a middle class African American family in California.
In “Seven Days Of Kwanzaa,” the Proud family have lost their holiday spirit until they meet and invite a homeless family to come home and spend the day with them. When the other family arrives, they introduce the Prouds to Kwanzaa, and it’s only then that everyone truly understands the meaning of this time of the year. Yes, it’s a little bit sentimental, but there’s enough shade thrown and burns administered that it never feels like they’re trying to pull our heartstrings.
“Seven Days of Kwanzaa” is the eleventh episode in the first season, and you can watch it on Vimeo.