‘Sesame Street’ Welcomes New Korean-American Character To The Neighbourhood

Ji-Young is making history as the first Asian American muppet in “Sesame Street” history.

Published November 16, 2021

Ji-Young is making history as the first Asian American muppet in “Sesame Street” history.

She’s a seven-year old Korean-American who loves skateboarding and shredding on her guitar, and hopes to introduce her neighbors to great food she grew up with, like tteokbokki (chewy rice cakes) with her halmoni (grandmother).

Ernie, a muppet from the popular children's series "Sesame Street," appears with new character Ji-Young, the first Asian American muppet, on the set of the long-running children's program in New York on Nov. 1, 2021. Ji-Young is Korean American and has two passions: rocking out on her electric guitar and skateboarding. (AP Photo/Noreen Nasir)

Ji-Young will formally be introduced in “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special” that will premiere on Thanksgiving Day (November 25th) on HBO Max, “Sesame Street” social media platforms, and local PBS stations. The special will also feature Asian-American celebrities Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi, and Naomi Osaka.

Kay Wilson Stallings, executive vice-president of Creative and Production for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind “Sesame Street" revealed that as part of the show's continued dedication to diversity, they created two task forces: one to look at content and the other to examine diversity in the show.

The culmination of their work was “Coming Together,” a multi-year initiative addressing how to talk to children about race, ethnicity, and culture. The initiative involves outside experts and a cross section of employees, known as the “culture trust,” who weigh in on every aspect of a new muppet.

What do you think of this article?

+1

0

+1

0

+1

0

+1

0

+1

0