Sesame Street has always been a great resource for teaching kids about important topics and the beloved kids’ show continues to shine with a new special on racism.
Sesame Workshop — the nonprofit, educational organization behind Sesame Street — is hosting The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special this month. The special program features Elmo and Abby Cadabby, along with 6-year-old Muppet Gabrielle and 8-year-old Tamir, as they learn how to stand up to unfair treatment based on the color of their fur. Musical guests Yara Shahidi, Christopher Jackson, and Andra Day will make appearances with the songs “How Do You Know?” and “Listen, Act, Unite!”
This is one of several Sesame Workshop specials addressing racism, following the CNN and Sesame Street Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism Town Hall that aired over the summer. Parents can access a companion guide to use as they discuss racism with their kids, available at sesamestreet.org/powerofwe.
“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,” said Kay Wilson Stallings, executive vice president of creative and production at Sesame Workshop in a press release. “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: A Sesame Street Special will stream on HBO Max and PBS Kids starting Thursday, Oct. 15, and debut on PBS stations the same day. The special will also re-air throughout the months of October and November on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel.
