//

I still can’t believe Rosita ignored me.

Sesame Street has generally been a forerunner on racial justice issues since, well, it started. Since its start, Sesame Street has been a cute and effective way to introduce young folks to diversity and equality, occasionally with a song and dance to boot. They’re one of the few companies where their track record pretty much speaks for itself.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Enable lazy loading. googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ renderMarginPercent: 150, mobileScaling: 2 }); // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-top-300x250" ); googletag.enableServices(); });

If you think this isn't an important show, you haven't seen how many racists are already screaming about it online and in the press. Sesame St has 50 years of experience doing this stuff well. Watch it with your kids, watch it with the kid inside you, but either way, watch. https://t.co/idXPTjKmNC

— John Byrne (@dearjohnbyrne) June 5, 2020

Sponsored Meet LINK: The Easy Way To Handle All Your Document Workflows On Your Mobile Device In A Single App LINK offers the single-app workflows you need to fully work on your documents and manage your email from your mobile devices, anytime and anywhere. From Above the Law

Unfortunately, that’s not how the cookie (Monster) crumbled in Philadelphia. Kelly Rowland did her part to spread awareness on a dream-crushing interaction children had with Rosita.

Sesame Place Philadelphia has issued an apology and said its employees will undergo more training following backlash from a video showing an employee in a Sesame character costume seemingly ignore two small Black girls during a parade.

The video shows the two girls decked out in Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby sparkly backpacks waiting along the side of the parade as a person in a costume of another character, Rosita, makes their way down. Before reaching the girls, the character gives out high-fives to another small child and an adult, both who appear white.

…

Backlash swiftly followed after the video took off on social media, where others shared similar experiences and videos, and prompted Sesame Street Philadelphia to issue a statement on its Instagram account in which it said it was not the character’s intention to ignore the girls.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Enable lazy loading. googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ renderMarginPercent: 150, mobileScaling: 2 }); // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-middle-300x250" ); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Enable lazy loading. googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ renderMarginPercent: 150, mobileScaling: 2 }); // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-storycontent-440x100" ); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Enable lazy loading. googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ renderMarginPercent: 150, mobileScaling: 2 }); // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-in-story-youtube-1x1" ); googletag.enableServices(); });

Don’t just take NPR’s word for it, take a look for yourself:

Sesame Street don’t like Black kids?! pic.twitter.com/4DbsVYcw7z

— Kevín (@KevOnStage) July 19, 2022

Sponsored Sponsored 3 Ways To Make The Legal Department More Effective And Agile Concrete steps to transform your team into a strategic force. From Conga and Above The Law Sponsored Just How Frivolous Is That 'Frivolous' Malpractice Suit? Join us for this free webinar with CLE credit presented with our friends at Embroker. Our expert panel will explore what steps lawyers should consider… From Embroker and Above The Law Sponsored Why This CRM Is Different From The Others The legal CRM software designed entirely by lawyers is now available to the public. See what it can offer your practice. From Matterly and Above The Law Sponsored 3 Ways To Make The Legal Department More Effective And Agile Concrete steps to transform your team into a strategic force. From Conga and Above The Law

Sesame Place Philly gave an apology but I’m channeling The Count on this one – things just ain’t adding up:

“The costumes sometimes make it hard to see at lower levels”. Strange how that character sees short WHITE kids just fine.

— Tangled Web (@Presleytal) July 18, 2022

It’s gotta be rough on these meme streets for Sesame — they’re getting cooked right now.

googletag.cmd.push( function() { // Enable lazy loading. googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ renderMarginPercent: 150, mobileScaling: 2 }); // Display ad. googletag.display( "div-id-for-bottom-300x250" ); googletag.enableServices(); });

Now Big Bird gotta call an emergency shareholders meeting. Rosita fucking ip the bottom line.🤦🏾‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/rvLkxirwO9

— QueenS👑 (@LittleMs514) July 18, 2022

Street isn’t getting all of the pushback though. Some think those kids should have known better:

Sponsored Sponsored Is Your Firm An Internet Ghost? Digital Logic’s Proven Method Can Make You Real To Potential Clients Recently, the folks at Digital Logic met with Above the Law to walk us through the company’s Search Engine Optimization strategies, techniques, and the core… From Stephanie Wilkins Sponsored Meet LINK: The Easy Way To Handle All Your Document Workflows On Your Mobile Device In A Single App LINK offers the single-app workflows you need to fully work on your documents and manage your email from your mobile devices, anytime and anywhere. From Above the Law

Ummm the kids called her Zoe when that’s clearly Rosita. I don’t blame her for ignoring them. Maybe learn your Sesame Street characters first? https://t.co/f8WtR3OFTe

— 🐮 (@kiwi8734) July 18, 2022

The legal consequences of this remain unclear. Sesame said all the things you’d expect as terminal defense to a lawsuit — apologies, employees will undergo diversity training, etc. The good news is that Sesame Philly didn’t double down and anchor the slighting in religious belief. While I don’t buy the couldn’t see out of my mask story, I hope that whatever went wrong here — hiring or otherwise — gets fixed so I can get back to loving Sesame Street.  If not, I might have to find my way there and settle it myself.

… Let’s just hope whatever is going wrong is fixed before The Swedish Chef serves up some prejudice. You know the right loves their bakers.

Sesame Place apologizes after Video Shows 2 Black Girls Being Passed Over At A Parade [NPR]

Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.

Topics

Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Rosita, Sesame Street, Small Law Firms