The world has been waiting 13 years for "Finding Nemo"'s sequel, and it's finally here. Pixar's "Finding Dory" has been doing extremely well in theaters, bringing in $200 million in just its first week. It's one of the best animated films I've seen in a long time, and, in my opinion, is on-par with "Finding Nemo."

The movie centers around Dory and her short-term memory loss, which she blames for becoming separated from her family. Dory is determined to cross the ocean once again to find her mom and dad, with the help of Marvin, Nemo, and other friends.

I was blown away by not only the plot, character complexity, and animation of this film, but also by the meaningful message that underlies it all. The movie mainly focused on neurodiverse characters, or characters with disabilities.

Neurodiversity is something that is becoming decreasingly taboo in modern society. Thanks to IDEA, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, students without disabilities are becoming more exposed to individuals whose bodies and brains work differently from what they are used to. Our parents and grandparents rarely saw students with disabilities when they were in school, so this early and regular exposure in modern schools is a great improvement.

Exposure is important because it encourages open-mindedness and understanding. In order to give people with disabilities the best possible quality of life, as with all people, acceptance and kindness from their peers is essential. This not only benefits people with disabilities, but also people without disabilities. Open-mindedness is a rare yet wonderful trait to have, as it opens up a world of opportunities. People who have open minds and who are willing and able to look at things from different perspectives are more likely to learn from others, compromise with others, and overcome obstacles.

I think that "Finding Dory" is going to be a universal source of exposure to neurodiversity for the younger generations. The film teaches some important lessons that are crucial when it comes to understanding, embracing, and learning more about people with disabilities.

The movie makes an interesting distinction that each neurodiverse character goes through a different experience with their disability.

Dory's memory loss causes her to forget important things, such as her home and family. The movie does a great job in portraying the guilt and sadness that Dory feels due to her memory loss, as well as the obvious effects that it has on her life and relationships. However, she refuses to let her disability define her. Dory's strengths are her kindness, bravery, and determination, which help her achieve amazing things.

Bailey, the beluga whale who doesn't know how to utilize his echolocation, eventually (SPOILER ALERT) figures out how to use it. This hints at some kind of slow development. Even though Bailey eventually achieves his goal and no longer suffers from a lack of echolocation ability, it's important to understand that he has been and still will be effected by his slow development. He will most likely be emotionally hurt and insecure due to his time spent in the Marine Life Institute. However, this does not stop him from jumping at the chance to help his friends, even if it means going back to the ocean.

Destiny, the near-sighted whale shark, is apologetic for her poor sight and displays frustration when she bumps into things. However, she tries her best to improve her swimming and never gives up, trying different techniques, such as vocal guidance from Bailey. Destiny is always supportive or her friends and doesn't let her near-nearsightedness get in the way of her helping others. She finds her own way to do things.

These three characters are a fantastic way to help the audience learn about how disabilities can effect people in different ways. "Finding Dory" teaches us that disabilities are not obstacles to be overcome, but are realities that help shape us into who we are. I hope this movie works to normalize disabilities and help kids embrace neurodiversity. We can learn so much by listening to each other and encouraging each other to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be.