Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Following a viral video and claims that Sesame Place character actors had discriminated against Black children during interactions, the SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment-owned tourist attraction in Middletown Township has announced initiatives aimed fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Sesame Place announced this week they will launch the initiatives as part of an expansion of its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. They will have nationally-known experts conduct a comprehensive racial equity assessment, develop implement an anti-bias training and education program, and enhance their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The theme park said in their statement the racial equity assessment will review their operations and find ways to locate opportunities for improvement. Goals will be set and progress will be monitored.
All staff will take part in “substantive training and education” by the end of September.
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The Sesame Place statement said the training program is “designed to address bias, promote inclusion, prevent discrimination, and ensure all guests and employees feel safe and welcome.”
Incoming staff will have a training program added to the onboarding process, the statement said.
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Among the experts hired by Sesame Place are Debo P. Adegbile, the chair of the Anti-Discrimination Practice at WilmerHale LLP and a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Joseph West, the current co-chair of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and the chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at DuaneMorris; and Sadiqa Reynolds, the longtime leader of the Louisville Urban League and incoming CEO of Perception Institute.
“We are pleased to have this team of well-respected leaders joining us. We have already begun engaging with employees, guests, civil rights groups as well as community leaders, and instituted some interim measures at the park while the review proceeds. The actions we are taking will help us deliver on our promise to provide an equitable and inclusive experience for all our guests every day,” said Cathy Valeriano, president of Sesame Place. “We are committed to making sure our guests feel welcome, included and enriched by their visits to our park.”
Claims that the park’s staff discriminated against families of color set the internet ablaze last month and even led to two small protests outside the park.
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The park initially said the incident was not purposely discriminative, but they later apologized and said they will do more to make families feel welcome.
Sesame Place is a massive driver of the local economy and draws guests from around the East Coast.
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