Sesame Street has continued to take character representation seriously, introducing a new Muppet, Karli, who is navigating the foster care system with her "for now" parents, Dalia and Clem.
The characters form part of a new initiative by Sesame Workshop, the not-for-profit organisation behind the show, which aims to provide free resources to caregivers in the United States, touching on challenging issues including family homelessness, foster care and trauma.
“We want foster parents and providers to hear that what they do matters - they have the enormous job of building and rebuilding family structures and children’s sense of safety,” Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of social impact at Sesame Workshop, said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.
She added: “By giving the adults in children’s lives the tools they need - with help from the ‘Sesame Street’ Muppets - we can help both grown-ups and children feel seen and heard and give them a sense of hope for the future.”
Safe to say, the new characters are already leaving their mark on the famous puppet community.
“Changes like this can be really rough for kids - and for adults, too,” for-now parent Clem tells Elmo's dad in one clip, titled You Belong Too.
Dalia adds that the experience of foster caring has “had its ups and downs".
"But no matter what, we try to let Karli know we are always here for her.”
Social media users applauded the children's show for the introduction of Karli.
"I wish our orphanages and all foster parents would get to know Karli & this initiative," one man wrote. "That would help make the hearts of all kids in foster care grow bigger."
"Karli might be my new favourite Muppet moster!", wrote another.
