Sesame Street has just released that they will be adding an Afghan puppet to their crew. This new character will be the little brother of an already existing character, Zari, and their name will be Zeerak, which translates to “smart” and “talented.” This truly speaks to Sesame Street’s desire to expand their family and to be accepting of all types of people, or for their sake, puppets.

Not too long ago, Sesame Street added another puppet to their show, Julia. Julia is autistic. Sesame Street took it upon themselves to speak up and create awareness about Autism. She made her debut online and later appeared in books. She now plays a role on the show actively. Julia depicts some classic autistic qualities while still trying to interact with the other puppets the best she can.

Sesame Street is definitely different than it once was. It’s definitely different than it was when I was a child. They have expanded their horizons and made Sesame Street a place for all to enjoy and feel safe. Between a puppet with autism, an Afghani puppet, and all the other original characters, Sesame Street is teaching kids to be accepting and caring.

Right on Sesame Street. Keep up the good work!