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a14 people & arts
Saturday 10 OctOber 2020
'Speak up!' — 'Sesame Street' tackles racism in TV special

By MARK KENNEDY hidi, the star of "grown-ish;"
AP Entertainment Writer "Hamilton" star Christopher
NEW YORK (AP) — "Sesame Jackson; and Grammy-
Street" has always pressed nominated singer Andra
for inclusion. Now in the Day.
wake of the national reck- Viewers are offered tips
oning on race, it's going fur- to help their communities
ther — teaching children to unite, including chalk draw-
stand up against racism. ings, making positive signs
Sesame Workshop — the and going to sing-a-longs.
nonprofit, educational or- When outside, all the pup-
ganization behind "Sesa- pets wear masks, even the
me Street" — will later this letter puppets. The special
month air the half-hour an- concludes with the slogan
ti-racist special "The Power "Listen. Act. Unite."
of We" and hopes families Sesame Workshop has in-
will watch together. cluded online resources for
The special defines racism parents to help guide con-
for younger viewers and versations with their child
shows how it can be hurt- about race, including talk-
ful. It urges children who ing, singing and breathing
encounter racism or hear together. "Sharing can help
someone else be the vic- us feel better," is one tip.
tim of it to call it out. "When There are also download-
you see something that's This image released by HBO shows some of the cast of "Sesame Street." In the wake of the national able pictures to color and
wrong, speak up and say, reckoning on race, "Sesame Street" is going further — teaching children to stand up against rac- a certificate with a place
'That's wrong' and tell an ism. to put the name of an up-
adult," 6-year-old Gabrielle Associated Press stander.
the Muppet advises. "Sesame Street," which last
The special, composed stop playing superheroes, Muppet. Elmo responds: to be 'upstanders' for them- year celebrated its 50th an-
of little skits and songs in saying they can come in all "Elmo wouldn't care what selves, one another, and niversary, has a history of
a Zoom-like format, will colors. The white Muppet you said 'cause Elmo is their communities," said Kay explaining the world to chil-
stream on HBO Max and soon apologizes. "Racism proud, proud to be red!" Wilson Stallings, executive dren, tackling everything
PBS Kids and air on PBS sta- hurts and it's wrong," is the It concludes with the lines: vice president of creative from foster care to sub-
tions beginning Oct. 15. message. "Speak up. Say something. and production at Sesame stance abuse. The latest
In one animated skit, a In the song "How Do You Don't give in." Workshop, in a statement. special comes on the heels
Black Muppet is told by a Know?" racism is dealt with "We believe that this mo- Current and former Ses- of "Sesame Street" contrib-
white Muppet that he can't head-on. "Hey, Elmo, how ment calls for a direct dis- ame Street human cast uting to "Coming Together:
dress up like a superhero would you feel if I said, 'I cussion about racism to members Alan, Charlie, Standing Up To Racism," a
because they're only white. don't like you 'cause I don't help children grasp the is- Chris and Gordon take part CNN town hall special in
Though hurt, the Black Mup- like the color red?'" sings sues and teach them that in the special, alongside June hosted by Van Jones
pet nevertheless refuses to Tamir, a Black, 8-year-old they are never too young celebrity guests Yara Sha- and Erica Hill.q

'Empire' star Taraji P. Henson hailed for mental health work

she's battled anxiety and Figures," about three Afri- cess free online therapy.
depression. can American mathemati- Henson named the foun-
On Thursday, the 50-year- cians at NASA who played dation for her father, a
old actress and filmmaker a key role in the early days military veteran whom she
— who has spoken pub- of the U.S. space program, said "returned broken" from
licly and powerfully about and won a 2016 Golden his service in Vietnam. The
her private struggles — was Globe for her role as Cook- organization, she said, is
honored by the Boston- ie Lyon in television's "Em- "committed to offering sup-
based Ruderman Fam- pire" series. port to African Americans
ily Foundation for her work In 2018, the Washington, who face trauma daily
to end the stigma around D.C., native started the Bo- simply because they are
mental illness. ris Lawrence Henson Foun- Black."q
"It's OK to not be OK," Hen- dation to stop those with Solution Sudoku
son, the latest recipient of mental illness from being
the Morton E. Ruderman stigmatized — especially
Award in Inclusion, told Blacks, who she says are
The Associated Press via less likely to seek treatment.
In this Sept. 22, 2019, file photo, Taraji P. Henson arrives at the
71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los An- email. "Tell someone. Your This year, with the corona-
geles. vulnerability is actually your virus pandemic complicat-
Associated Press strength." ing people's mental health
Henson was nominated for struggles, Henson's founda-
By WILLIAM J. KOLE celebrity, a Golden Globe an Oscar for 2008's "The Cu- tion has been helping Afri-
Associated Press win and an Academy rious Case of Benjamin But- can Americans — who've
"Empire" star Taraji P. Hen- Award nomination. ton." She also won critical been disproportionately af-
son has enjoyed wealth, But behind the scenes, acclaim for 2016's "Hidden fected by COVID-19 — ac- Puzzle on Page 13