The Obamas’ Higher Ground Teams Up With Disney+ on New Animated Series

Barack and Michelle Obama’s media company, Higher Ground, is entering a new independent chapter. The company is joining forces with Disney to produce Journey, an original, music-driven animated fantasy series for Disney+.

The newly approved show marks the first project for Higher Ground since the company became independent from Netflix in April. Journey reflects Higher Ground’s commitment to developing more powerful storylines for children and family viewing and to bringing more diverse voices to kids’ programming. 

An Animated Fantasy Series 

Journey centers on a young heroine whose home city is threatened when its protective energy shield begins to fail. The protagonist receives a mysterious call from beyond the safety of the city walls. She ventures into the forbidden lands and uncovers the truth about her father’s disappearance. Along the way, she discovers a powerful magic within herself that may hold the key to saving her people. 

Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family, framed the series as a universal coming-of-age story. “At its core, it’s a story about resilience, self-discovery, and the power of believing in something bigger than yourself — the kind of universal themes that have defined Disney stories for generations,” Davis said.

Related post: Obama-Founded Higher Ground Goes Independent, Ends Netflix Deal

The Creatives Behind the Curtain 

The series is produced by ICON Creative Studio in association with Disney Television Animation. The creator behind Journey is none other than the Black animator Matt Munn. His credits span Blue Sky Studios’ Ice Age: Collision Course, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Annapurna Animation’s Nimona, and many others.  

Munn will serve as executive producer alongside Peabody Award-winning animator Steve Loter. Loter’s work includes Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and the beloved Disney Channel series Kim Possible. Jessie Dicovitsky, head of television at Higher Ground, also serves as executive producer. 

Related post: Black Animated Series Gracie’s Corner Lands Disney+ and Disney Jr. Deal

Higher Ground’s Venture into Children’s Programming

Dicovitsky has been ecstatic about what the partnership represents for the company: “Combining adventure, imagination, and music, Journey is a true original that takes bold swings. We’re proud to partner with Disney on this fantastical series and to build on Higher Ground’s history of delivering fun and meaningful stories for kids and families,” she said in a statement.

During its eight-year first-look deal with Netflix, Higher Ground produced several children’s projects. The production company has a documented track record of centering Black voices and characters of color. Ada Twist, Scientist features a Black girl protagonist, and the animated series We the People centers diverse civic voices. Although the character’s race in Journey has not yet been revealed, given Higher Ground’s history, a diverse protagonist is not off the table. 

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The Importance of Diverse Storylines, Storytellers and Producers 

Disney’s deal with Higher Ground comes just after Disney’s recent licensing deal with the Black animated series Gracie’s Corner. Gracie’s Corner was created by a Black husband and wife duo, Jarvoris and Arlene Holingsworth. They were intentional about improving the representation of Black families and children on screen. Now it will be distributed by Disney+ and Disney Jr. 

These two partnerships in quick succession tell a much larger story. Disney is on a mission to bring in more diverse characters, storytellers, and producers to its portfolio. 

While the state of representation on children’s television has certainly improved overall, it is still substandard. A 2025 report by the Geena Davis Institute and Nielsen Foundation revealed that in 2024, in popular children’s programming, male characters still outnumber female characters by 22.6%. Meanwhile, characters of color only make up 35.9% of all characters on screen. Indicating a decline from 2023, when 40.5% of all characters were people of color. 

“Children’s media has been one of the least diverse, and that lack of diversity severely impacts engagement. Kids engage when they connect, and the diversity they see in real life must be present in the stories they’re told,” said Lulu Skantze, publisher and creative director of Storytime, a global children’s magazine. 

“Having someone like the Obamas backing this is exactly what we need more of – making it possible for diverse creators and ideas to actually get off the ground,” she added. “As a creator myself, I don’t think we’re serving kids well until every child can see themselves in a story. Until all stories are told and all cultures are represented, we’re not done.”

While no premiere date has been set, all eyes are on Higher Ground and Disney to see what they will bring to the big screen together. 

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama (right to left)