According to the plan, “the racial equity assessment will include a review of policies, processes, and practices that impact guests, employees, suppliers, and the community to identify opportunities for improvement,” engaging with internal and external stakeholders.
After the assessment wraps, experts will remain involved in order to “monitor” the park’s “progress toward established goals.”
By the end of September, Sesame Place said all employees will take part in a “training and education program designed to address bias, promote inclusion, prevent discrimination, and ensure all guests and employees feel safe and welcome.”
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Beyond the training for existing employees, the park said it will now be included in onboarding for new employees as well as become “a regular part of our training and workforce development.”
Cathy Valeriano, President of Sesame Place Philadelphia, said they have already implemented “some interim measures at the park” amid their review.
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Two days later, another park goer shared a similar encounter onInstagramof Rosita brushing off a greeting from his excited daughter, who is also Black.
“The character went out of their way to change course and Immediately after hugged and took a pic with a little white girl,” the father wrote.
About a week after the July videos were posted, a$25 million dollar lawsuitwas filed againstSeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, the parent company of Sesame Place, after another family claimed four costumed characters deliberately ignored their daughter and other Black visitors.
Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA.Jeff Chiu/AP/Shutterstock
The class action lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania federal court on July 27 and holds Burns as a representative of other families who came forward after they said they experienced similar situations at the park.
According to the allegations in the complaint, Sesame Place employers had prior knowledge that the four costumed characters who met with the Burns family and others held “racial bias towards Black people” and therefore these issues were “foreseeable.”
Atthe time of the filing, a Sesame Place representative said the park was reviewing the lawsuit and “looking forward to” addressing its claims. They also stated, “We are committed to deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience for all our guests.”
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, also addressed the incident in astatementon Twitter and said that the situation was being investigated.
“Sesame Workshop is aware of the recent incident at Sesame Place Philadelphia, which we take very seriously,” it began. “What these children experienced is unacceptable.”
The release continued in part explaining, “We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our licensed park partner, and they have assured us that they will conduct bias training and a thorough review of the ways in which they engage with families and guests.”
Sesame Place also shareda statementfollowing the incident, which is now pinned on their Twitter page, writing, “We sincerely apologize to the family for their experience in our park on Saturday; we know that it’s not OK. We are taking actions to do better.”
It continued, “We are committed to making this right. We will conduct training for our employees so they better understand, recognize and deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience to our guests. For over 40 years Sesame Place has worked to uphold the values of respect, inclusion and belonging. We are committed to doing a better job making children and families feel special, seen and included when they come to our parks.”
source: people.com
