It’s one thing to speak about the importance of representation and another to see its effects in real time! A two-year-old named Mila has racked up more than four million views on a single TikTok video about her bonnet. The one-minute clip was posted to the account five days ago. By the end of the video, we see Mila fully invested in the bonnet on her head as a Black Disney cartoon character sings about hers.
“My 2 year old has been pulling off her bonnet every night so we started watching this right before bed,” the video text stated.
Hair Representation
Shortly afterwards, Mila spoke to her mother while pointing at the television and saying “bonnet” among some toddler babble. Her mama, Michaela Peacock, spoke to her from behind the camera.Mila was pointing at characters on the second episode of the Disney Junior show ‘Rise Up, Sing Out.’ The animated show is a collection of music-based shorts highlighting topics on race, culture and community.
Mila was enjoying the second episode of the shorts called ‘Super Bonnet.’ The episode description says, “the girls celebrate Black hair at a sleepover.”
As Mila pointed to the screen, video viewers saw some of the girls explaining why bonnets are important for curly-textured hair to a non-Black friend.
The Bonnet Update
At the request of TikTok viewers, Michaela provided a next-day update on Mila’s bonnet. It seemed like the characters enthusiasm and love rubbed off on the toddler. In the follow-up video, filmed the next morning, Michaela asked her daughter if she wanted to remove her bonnet. Mila responded no.
Later in the comment section, Michaela said Mila “ripped it off as soon as she got out of bed.” Still, per mama, watching the representation on TV is “definitely working.”
Cassandra SantiagoCassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.
