Meet the brand new Muppets: 5-year-old Wes and his father Elijah
Sesame Workshop, the juggernaut behind Sesame Street, launched new movies to help households in talking to their kiddos about race and racism. The ABCs of Racial Literacy is a part of Coming Together, Sesame Workshop’s persevering with program devoted to racial justice. The tentpole programming is a part of Sesame Street’s much-lauded want to be related for contemporary youngsters, which suggests not shying away from subject like autism and habit.
In the brand new video, Wes and Elijah clarify the ideas of melanin and race to Elmo.
“Elmo wants to know why Wes’ skin is brown,” the ‘lil red Muppet asks as the group checks out leaves in the park. “I know why, Elmo! My mom and dad told me, it’s due to melanin, proper Dad?” Wes solutions.
“That’s right,” Elijah says, including, “Melanin is something that we each have inside our bodies that makes the outside of our bodies the skin color that it is. It also gives us our eye and our hair color.”
“The color of our skin is an important part of who we are but we should all know that it’s okay that we all look different in so very many ways,” he says.
Analysis: Two new Black ‘Sesame Street’ characters clarify racial distinction to youngsters https://t.co/eBlRnSHYNI pic.twitter.com/gCSrb5FhVK
— Guason (@Guason24563693) March 25, 2021
“At Sesame Workshop, we look at every issue through the lens of a child. Children are not colorblind—not only do they first notice differences in race in infancy, but they also start forming their own sense of identity at a very young age,” Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President, Sesame Workshop mentioned in a press launch.
I dunno why, however this made me weepy. Sesame Street is a lovely method to impart these necessary messages. https://t.co/9k5IfN1FJ2
— Wookiee Boogie (@WookieeBoogie) March 25, 2021
“‘The ABCs of Racial Literacy’ is designed to foster open, age-appropriate conversations among families and support them in building racial literacy. By encouraging these much-needed conversations through Coming Together, we can help children build a positive sense of identity and value the identities of others.”
The Sesame Workshop just lately commissioned a research which discovered for kids ages 6-11 and their dad and mom, racism was essentially the most urgent social difficulty for almost half the children sampled with racism extra widespread in responses of Black youngsters. Most dad and mom had been snug with youngsters studying about race and prejudice by means of media, books, or faculty, but solely 23% of oldsters mentioned that that they had out there assets which might them put together for talks with their baby. The new ABCs of Racial Literacy assets makes an attempt to fill a necessity for fogeys and caregivers as they have interaction in discussions with their kids about race and discrimination.
“Sesame Workshop has always stood for diversity, inclusion, equity, and kindness. As a trusted source for families, we have a responsibility to speak out for racial justice and empower families to have conversations about race and identity with their children at a young age,” Kay Wilson Stallings, Executive Vice President of Creative and Production for Sesame Workshop mentioned in a press launch.
“The work to dismantle racism begins by helping children understand what racism is and how it hurts and impacts people. Sadly, today’s announcement comes at a time of racial and social discord when many families are in need of support in talking to their children about racism. We’re proud to reaffirm our Coming Together commitment to racial justice, which will be woven into new Sesame Workshop content for years to come.”
Extra bonus? The new assets can be found in English and Spanish, and can be out there by means of each nationwide and group packages.
