CONTENT WARNING: Racism, Violence

Sesame Place has recently come under fire due to allegations of racism against Black children. Sadly, for Black people, this isn’t at all surprising. Even worse, racist incidents are very common.

Some argue that race and racism are sensitive subjects not to be discussed with young children. And because many parents have this idea, they decide not to broach the subject with their little ones. But unfortunately, choosing NOT to talk about race to Black children can do more harm than good.

What Is Sesame Place?

Sesame Place is an amusement and water park modeled after “Sesame Street,” a popular television show for children. There, little ones can enjoy themed rides and playgrounds and also meet their favorite “Sesame Street” characters.

Racism at the Park

Recently, a video surfaced of an alleged racist incident involving two 6-year-old Black girls at a Sesame Place parade. In the viral clip, the girls can be seen eagerly waving and reaching out to “Rosita”, the first bilingual character on Sesame Street.

First, the character is seen wagging her finger at someone in the crowd. And when she approaches the girls, she shakes her head and motions “no,” leaving the two girls visibly upset.

The mother of one of the girls, Jodi Brown, alleges that the character immediately hugged a white child after leaving the girls.

This is so disgusting but never surprising when it comes to our children. Whoever is in this "Rosita" costume needs to be fired. I don't know if a racist or a c☻️☻️n is in this costume, but Sesame Place has some splanin', firing and apologizing to do. #BoycottSesamePlace pic.twitter.com/magSNsoLGj
— Nicole's View 🇺🇲 (@BLKLiberation84) July 18, 2022

Soon after, social media users began to share multiple other videos of the reported racism they experienced at the park.

Sesame Place Responds

Sesame Place first responded to the viral clip, saying that the character “did not intentionally ignore the girls,” adding that they were “devastated about the misunderstanding.”

But as pressure mounted, Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit organization, called the incident “unacceptable,” prompting Sesame Place to release another statement. They vowed to “do better” by training their employees to provide a more inclusive park experience for guests.

pic.twitter.com/bUI8kEoMAu
— Sesame Place Philadelphia (@SesamePlace) July 18, 2022

But Brown says the apology is not enough, calling for the character to be terminated.

She says that the incident left her daughter emotionally shattered. And according to a report from The Washington Post, the family is now considering a potential lawsuit.

How Black Parents Can Introduce Race and Racism to Their Children

What happened at Sesame Place is shocking, with many parents vowing to boycott the park. Children SHOULD be, but aren’t always, protected from racist acts. Instead, parents can use the incident as a teachable moment to better equip Black children on how to respond when the inevitable happens. Here are six ways Black parents can teach their children about racism:

Child development