A new neighbor is moving to Sesame Street this April.
Julia is a Muppet with autism and was first introduced last summer as part of Sesame Workshop’s Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative. She will be joining Sesame Street to increase awareness and understanding of autism, according to a press release.
Julia will be voiced by Stacey Gordon, a puppeteer and mother of a child with autism. Sesame Workshop conferred with more than 250 organizations and experts within the autism community for more than five years to create Julia and accurately portray a character with autism.
Along with the new Muppet, new resources will be available in both English and Spanish on the Sesame Street and Autism website to accompany the addition of Julia. These resources include six new digital live-action segments on YouTube and the Sesame Street and Autism website featuring Abby Cadabby, Julia, and Elmo; the We’re Amazing, 1, 2, 3! ebook on the Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, and other platforms; and a free Sesame Street and Autism app on the Amazon Appstore. The We’re Amazing, 1, 2, 3! ebook will be turned into a print book, slated for January 2018 from Random House Children’s Books.
Julia’s introductory Sesame Street episode, called “Meet Julia,” will air on HBO and PBS Kids in the United States on Monday, April 10. The episode will eventually air on networks around the world within the year. A “Meet Julia” view-and-do guide with activities and discussion ideas will be released simultaneously for families to do together.
“The response from the autism community to See Amazing in All Children has been extraordinary, and we are committed to continuing our efforts to promote understanding and acceptance of autism, as part of our mission of helping all children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder,” Sherrie Westin, Executive Vice President of Global Impact and Philanthropy with Sesame Workshop, said in a statement.
See some clips of Julia on Sesame Street below.
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Main image: Julia will be making her television debut on Sesame Street on April 10.
Courtesy Sesame Workshop
