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Posted on 10/24/2015 6:24:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The gang from "Sesame Street" is welcoming a new member to the neighborhood — Julia, a girl who has bright orange hair and big green eyes.
She also has autism.
Julia is the latest creation from the Sesame Workshop, and she offers children a relatable character they can understand, whether they're living with autism or know someone who is.
On Wednesday, "Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children" was launched online, and Julia is just part of that educational and awareness initiative.
"Children with autism are five times more likely to get bullied," Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, the senior vice president of community and family engagement at Sesame Workshop, told People magazine. "And with one in 68 children having autism, that's a lot of bullying. Our goal is to bring forth what all children share in common, not their differences. Children with autism share in the joy of playing and loving and being friends and being part of a group."
Kids can already get to know Julia through a new online storybook called "We're Amazing, 1, 2, 3!"
In the story, fan favorite Muppet Elmo goes on a playdate with his pal Julia and helps another friend, Abby, understand Julia.
"Elmo's daddy told Elmo that Julia has autism," he says. "So she does things a little differently. Sometimes Elmo talks to Julia using fewer words and says the same thing a few times. ... Oh, and sometimes Elmo waits a long time for Julia to answer."
Knowing that, Abby finds it easy to make friends with Julia, too.
But Julia's storybook isn't the only story available
"Sesame Workshop is uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in increasing peoples' understanding about autism," Sherrie Westin, executive vice president of global impact and philanthropy at Sesame Workshop, said in a statement. "This project is an extension of the belief we've always promoted: 'We are all different, but all the same.' I am passionate about this initiative, and am so proud of the partnerships with the autism community that have led to this."
See all the resources for parents, caregivers, teacher and kids at www.SesameStreet.org/Autism.
My oldest is high functioning ASD, but I still won’t put Sesame Street on.
It’s liberal, pro-islam garbage straight from red diaper dopers. The USSR produced children’s propaganda that varies not one whit from Sesame Street. Abolish the FCC, CPB and PBS! Let freedom ring!
But I thought that, based on liberals’ treatment of Trig Palin, shouldn’t kids with autism should be put down before they’re born, and if not their parents mocked and ridiculed?
I’m not in favor of the ideology of “Sesame Street,” either. Hillary Clinton was on the board of Children’s Television Workshop at one point. (And Al Gore was on the board of Occidental Petroleum, but that’s something else again.)
Nonetheless, I think helping children to associate positively with those who are different is extremely important. One of the things we’ve found doing science competitions (Envirothon, Science Olympiad) is that students with autism spectrum symptoms or OCD can be extremely valuable teammates, once the group develops strategies to focus on their strengths.
I really don’t know enough about autism to have much of an opinion.
Only if they can’t be used to ‘feelgood’ people into advancing the liberal agenda.
Or if they are the child of an unperson.
I’m waiting for the ghost of the Gentle Giant, because #blacklivesmatter and little children need to know how cops execute black kids. </sarc>
I’m waiting for one with Tourette’s Syndrome.
I highly recommend any of her books or just viewing the movie. She does not feel sorry for herself, she took care of her many challenges and grew up to design many of the humane cattle handling procedures used in slaughter houses and holding pens.
Thanks...I needed a good laugh tonight. Well done.
LOL!
No that’s only Down Syndrome, which can be tested in utero. Children with autism are to be used by the left to bludgeon companies that produce vaccines.
Trust me, if they could test for autism in utero, you wouldn’t even be hearing about autism because none would be allowed to live.
Today’s show is brought to you by the letter F
Guess that will be an easy puppet to work.
Sesame Street Julia’s life will look nothing like the ‘Life of Julia’ in your chart.
If she’s like most autistics I know she’ll still be in diapers at 10yrs old.
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