Elmo, Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, and the gang are gaining a new neighbor—and a new friend. AP reports that Ji-Young is the newest Muppet to make the move onto Sesame Street, and she’s the first Asian American character to join the lovable crew. Seven-year-old Ji-Young, an avid guitar player and skateboarder, is joining the infamous children’s TV program in what seems to be a match made in heaven. “So, in Korean, traditionally, the two syllables_they each mean something different, and Ji means, like, smart or wise. And Young means, like, brave or courageous and strong,” explained the newest Muppet. “But we were looking it up, and guess what? Ji also means sesame.” Kay Wilson Stallings, executive vice-president of creative and production for Sesame Workshop, detailed how the team behind the children’s show recognized the importance of addressing race, ethnicity, and culture amid the heightened racial tensions of 2020. “When we knew we were going to be doing this work that was going to focus on the Asian and Pacific Islanders experience, we, of course, knew we needed to create an Asian Muppet as well,” said Stallings.
