A child of the 1970s, I have fond memories of Sesame Street. Sesame Street is one of the most joyous children’s television shows of all time. I remember how my mother tried to explain it away, but she couldn’t. Forty years later I still remember that hot feeling in my cheeks and how my body started to shake. I was 8 years old the first time a white child called me the N-word. I don’t doubt that day will be seared in their memory - and it won’t be because of all the media coverage. When Rosita waves them off, you can see the pain in their eyes. Skylar and Nylah Brown, the little girls snubbed at Sesame Place, are only 6 years old. And young children of color who experience racism remember it, and those experiences have a lasting impact on self-esteem. Parents’ discomfort when it comes to discussing race doesn’t mean children won’t pick up on racist attitudes, which have the power to shape life-long behavior. A 2020 study by the American Psychological Association revealed that by preschool, children are well aware of race. We’ve known since the 1940s, when psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s doll test showed the world that Black children overwhelmingly chose white dolls over Black dolls, that Black children internalize their feelings of inferiority and are acutely aware of the preferential treatment given to white children. » READ MORE: Sesame Place to hold bias training amid backlash over mascot appearing to wave off young Black girls DEI training helps employers spot racists and reject them because racists are not good people. Sesame Place needs to do a better job making sure they hire employees who have home training. Call me crazy, but a person should not need DEI training to know they should treat Black children with the same compassion they treat white children. DEI also helps institutions raise employees’ awareness of systemic racism that results in unequal housing, pay, education, transportation, and food access.ĭEI training doesn’t, however, teach basic manners. Diversity, equity, and inclusion training in workplaces is meant to teach people how to recognize unconscious biases that result in them treating their Black colleagues like servants. ![]() Let’s be clear: This column isn’t knocking the need for DEI training, so the people whining about being forced to acknowledge Black history as American history can cool their racist heels. Kennedi’s dad, Quinton Burns, appeared at a news conference in Philadelphia on Wednesday to announce the lawsuit. This complaint alleges that several characters - Elmo, Ernie, Telly, and Abby Cadabby - ignored 5-year-old Kennedi Burns of Baltimore on June 5. ![]() » READ MORE: Family sues Sesame Place for racial discrimination, alleging characters ignored 5-year-old Black girlĪnd to top it off, a federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Philadelphia accusing Sesame Place and its parent company of allowing more costumed characters to racially discriminate against Black children. And more videos have surfaced of Black children being ignored by Sesame Place characters, demonstrating a pattern of mistreatment. Instead of greeting the little girls with outstretched arms - or at the very least offering them high fives - this cretin, disguised as a muppet, shooed them away after giving other children - white children - mad love. A mean person, dressed up as a friendly Sesame Street monster, decided it was OK to behave nastily toward two Black children. Real talk: DEI alone won’t solve this problem, because DEI doesn’t teach common decency and manners. In the heated aftermath that included protests and additional claims of racism, Sesame Place pledged to institute mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training for its staff. Sesame Place officials issued several apologies after an actor in a Rosita costume snubbed two little Black girls who visited the amusement park this month.
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