Sesame Workshop Expands Autism Initiative

Sesame Workshop has expanded its Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative with new resources online.

Created in 2015, the initiative aims to increase public awareness of autism, foster greater empathy and understanding and support families with free resources. The new resources available on the Sesame Street website feature Julia, a 4-year-old Sesame Street Muppet with autism.

In continued partnership with Exceptional Minds, an academy and studio preparing young adults with autism for careers in animation, Sesame Workshop is launching a new animated video of Julia as she learns how to handle her fear of the dark by drawing what she’s afraid of. The video was written, produced and animated by Exceptional Minds’ team of artists on the autism spectrum. New printables and coloring and activity sheets are available to go along with the video.

Sesame Workshop has also partnered with Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN) to launch Mandarin and Cantonese adaptations of the We’re Amazing 1, 2, 3 digital storybook featuring Elmo and Abby Cadabby learning different ways to play with Julia and help her feel safe and comfortable. Two new articles written by FCSN will be available for families and providers on the unique challenges Chinese American children with autism face.

Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children was developed in consultation with over 250 organizations and experts within the autism community, and the initiative is made possible by philanthropic support from American Greetings and Kristen Rohr.

“Autistic children and their families are facing unprecedented challenges this year, and Sesame Workshop is here to help kids create healthy routines, develop self-regulation and calming strategies, and build resilience,” said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior VP of U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop. “We know the importance of collaborating with the autistic community as well as their families when creating new materials, which is why we teamed up with Exceptional Minds and Friends of Children with Special Needs to launch these new resources today.”

“The Exceptional Minds team of artists on the spectrum continue to showcase their writing, producing and animation talents on our latest Sesame Workshop short, Backyard Camping,” said David Siegel, executive director of Exceptional Minds. “This project amplifies the workplace skills of our amazing artists while shining a light on autism inclusion. Eighty percent of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed, but with Sesame Workshop’s continued partnership, we are changing that.”

“Children with autism need to be understood and embraced by communities around the world,” said Anna Wang, co-founder and VP of FCSN. “Friends of Children with Special Needs is honored to partner with Sesame to translate this important book about Julia, a child with autism, into Chinese languages. Our hope is that this will start to remove cultural stigma associated with autistic children in the Chinese community and help make the world a more welcoming place for them.”