Introducing the ABCs of Racial Literacy

The path to racial justice begins early, and it begins with helping children understand their own races, ethnicities, and cultures. That’s why Sesame Workshop is launching The ABCs of Racial Literacy—new resources designed to help families celebrate their own unique identities and answer children’s sometimes-tough questions about race and racism.

Our launch of these resources unfortunately comes at a time of continued racial and social unrest. It is our ongoing hope that we can give parents and caregivers the tools to raise a generation of upstanders against racism and work to build a future in which all children are given equal opportunities to reach their full potential.

Children are not colorblind. Not only do they first notice differences in race in infancy, but they also start forming their own sense of identity at a very young age. The new resources launching today as part of our Coming Together commitment to racial justice will help children build a positive sense of identity and value the identities of others, all while giving parents the tools they need to foster open, age-appropriate conversations at home.

At the heart of the initiative are two new Muppet friends—5-year-old Wes and his dad Elijah. In one video, Elmo wants to know why Wes’s skin is brown. Elijah explains the concept of melanin and that the color of our skin is an important part of who we are. In another video, Rosita copes with a racist incident in a grocery store while also celebrating her “superpower” of speaking Spanish. Additional resources include videos featuring real families talking about their experiences, talking points and conversation starters, and activities for families to do together. 

At Sesame Workshop, we believe that all children deserve to live in a world where their races, ethnicities, and cultures are celebrated. This announcement reaffirms our Coming Together commitment to racial justice, which will be woven into new Sesame Workshop content for years to come. You can visit SesameWorkshop.org/ComingTogether to learn more, or check out TIME Magazine’s feature on Wes and Elijah here: https://time.com/5947731/sesame-workshop-black-muppets/