Meet Ji-Young, Sesame Street’s First Korean American Muppet

The new kid on the block is creative, cool, and celebrating her Korean heritage. 7 year old Ji-Young is making history as the first Asian American muppet on “Sesame Street”. She is Korean American and has two passions: rocking out on her electric guitar and skateboarding. 

In response to events in 2020, Sesame Street wanted participate in the conversation with its content. This led to the creation of a workshop to review its content and its diversity. They developed Coming Together, a multi-year initiative addressing talking to children about race, ethnicity, and culture.

Ji-Young will help teach children how to be a “upstander.” Sesame street defines being an upstander as a person who points out wrong statements and actions. Especially statements based on their negative attitude towards the person because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, or where they’re from.

(Source: CNN)

We love this because not only is Ji-Young representing Korean American kids as an adorable muppet, but also their stories, culture, and uniqueness. Sesame Street is working on reflecting the diversity of our reality, a mission close to Healthy Roots Dolls and Zoe’s heart. 

You can see Ji-Young rock the stage in “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special.” The special will drop Thanksgiving Day on HBO Max, “Sesame Street” social media platforms, and on local PBS stations with special guests including Naomi Osaka. 

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