WATCH: A US theme park character ignores two black kids; family files a $25 million class lawsuit
Sesame Place employee dressed as Rosita waves off Brown's daughter and niece
A black family based in Baltimore, United States, has filed a$25 million class action lawsuit for racial discrimination againstSesame Place, an amusement park inPhiladelphia inspired by the popularSesame Street show.
Reportedly,Jodi Brown along with her family and friends was visiting the amusement park when during a meet and greet, multiple costumed characters purportedly refused to shake hands with her five-year-old daughter as well as niece.
The incident was captured on camera and since then, the nine-second clip has gone viral on the realms of social media platforms.
The video shows the Sesame Place employee dressed in the character of Rosita high-fiving the other visitors, who happen to be white.
However, by the time the dressed character reaches Jodi’s daughter and niece, it pulls its hands away from the girl’s outstretched hands and gestures ‘no’, whilst walking away from the spot, leaving the little girls confused.
Jodi put the video on her Instagram account and captioned it:
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Reportedly, the complainanthas also set up a Change.org page where she is demanding that Sesame Place and its parent company be held accountable for their racist employees. Until the last update, the petition had been signed by over 26,000 people.
Read More:Why has US failed to fight racism?
After the controversy snowballed, Sesame Place released a statement issuing a clarification.“The Rosita performer did not intentionally ignore the girls and is devastated by the misunderstanding. Performers sometimes miss requests for hugs because the costumes they wear make it difficult to see at lower levels,” stated the amusement park.
It’s been over 150 years since America passed the 13th Amendment Act but in practice, the legacy of racism continues to shadow the life of every black American. Whether it was an honest mistake from the performer or a deliberate attempt to whiskaway the little girls, the fact that such incidents continue to transpire in America suggest that racism is well and alive and kicking.
(With inputs from agencies)
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