Sesame Place strives to promote diversity, equality and inclusion. After allegations of racism surfaced at a Philadelphia theme park, the company announced “comprehensive action” to address visitors’ concerns.
In a Tuesday press release, Sesame Place said it will take initiatives including a comprehensive racial equity assessment, development and implementation of an anti-bias training and education program, and a best-in-class diversity, enhancements to ensure equity. and inclusion programs.
Racial equity assessment will include a review of policies, procedures and practices that affect guests, employees, suppliers and the community to identify opportunities for improvement.
Additionally, by the end of September 2022, all employees will participate in an actual training and education program designed to address bias, promote inclusion, prevent discrimination, and make all guests and employees feel safe and welcome . This training will be incorporated into the onboarding of all new employees and will become a regular part of training and workforce development.
All initiatives have been developed and will be overseen by national experts: Debo P. Edgbill, president of the anti-discrimination practice at WilmerHale LLP and a commissioner of the US Commission on Civil Rights; Joseph West, current co-chair of the Committee on Lawyers for Civil Rights Under Law and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Duane Morris; and Sadika Reynolds, longtime leader of the Louisville Urban League and up-and-coming CEO of the Perception Institute.
“We are delighted to have this team of respected leaders join us. We have already started engaging with employees, guests, civil rights groups as well as community leaders, and have taken some interim measures at the park during the review “We are helping us deliver on our promise to provide an equal and inclusive experience every day for all of our guests,” said Cathy Valeriano, president of the action Sesame Place Philadelphia. that our guests feel welcome, included and enriched by their visits to our park.”
The controversy began last month, when in a video posted to social media, a performer in Rosita costume at Sesame Place Philadelphia appeared to ignore two young black girls as they mingled with white visitors, moments after High-five and reached for a hug. In the garden While some dismissed the conversation as a misunderstanding, several videos of similar incidents involving black children have surfaced online.
ET spoke to Kelly Rowland after the viral incident, and she said she was “bright” about the situation.
“I know, me personally, I must have burned that place down. I’ve said it before and I really mean it,” she said. “…when I saw it and it was an extension of what I grew up learning about and loving Sesame Street and Sesame Place, I don’t know what place it is that I visited. It took two beautiful little Made the girls feel like they just weren’t there.