In a new Sesame Street clip, the whole neighborhood is explored via song, introducing the street’s Asian and Pacific Islander residents. Alan (played by longtime Sesame Street actor Alan Muraoka), Elmo, and Ji-Young meet everyone from a hula dancer from Hawaii to teachers from India, all of whom are integral members to the neighborhood.
Ji-Young is the latest addition to the cast, the show’s first Asian American puppet of Korean descent. Alan, who is Japanese-American, tells Elmo that the friends they’re about to meet are “Asians and Pacific Islanders, just like Ji-Young” and him.
The tour is a prelude to a special Sesame Street episode, “See Us Coming Together”, which will air on Nov. 25 and is directed by Muraoka himself. The episode will mark Ji-Young’s official episode debut, while approaching large conversations about race and ultimately celebrating the Asian and Pacific Islander communities across America. The latter is indeed a reason to sing.
