Breaking down complex issues and discussing them with kids can be challenging. But thanks to Sesame Street, families are gaining some insight on how to better address these hard topics and, better yet, how to take action.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street and several other children's programs, is presenting The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special, which will tackle racism and address how children can stand up against it.
According to the press release, the special is designed as a co-viewing experience for kids and families. Kay Wilson Stallings, Executive Vice President of Creative and Production at Sesame Workshop, said, "Sesame Street has the ability to entertain children while explaining complex issues like no other program and equips families and caregivers with the support they need to have empathetic conversations. We believe that this moment calls for a direct discussion about racism to help children grasp the issues and teach them that they are never too young to be 'upstanders' for themselves, one another, and their communities."
The Power of We will include celebrity guests Yara Shahidi, Christopher Jackson and Andra Day. Popular characters Elmo and Abby Cadabby will also be joined by new characters Gabrielle and Tamir as they all learn how to deal with unfair treatment based on skin (or, in this case, fur) color.
The new special will premiere on PBS stations and be available to stream on HBO Max and PBS KIDS on Thursday, October 15. This follows the organization's June town hall project, Coming Together: Standing up to Racism Town Hall, where CNN's Van Jones and Erica Hill partnered with Sesame Street to discuss diversity, prejudice and how to explain racism to kids.
Sesame Workshop deserves a standing ovation for tackling such difficult topics in a creative way. To watch the Town Hall ahead of next week's special, you can see it in its entirety here.
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