-Eldica Stuart-
Cousins!
Remember the recent viral moments of the videos showing young African American children being disregarded by the Sesame Street Place employees? Well, a Baltimore family plans to act and to receive justice!
According to ABC News, Quinton Burns of Baltimore, Maryland has filed a $25 million federal class action lawsuit against Sesame Place, claiming racial discrimination from the popular themed park in Pennsylvania. Burns decided to take his children to Sesame Place on Father’s Day and alleges that his daughter was ignored during the parade of Street characters.
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania alleges that Quinton Burns’ daughter Kennedi Burns and her friends attended the park for a meet and greet and they were also ignored. The suit makes claims that Sesame Place violated the Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This law is supposed to protect people from racial discrimination.
( 📸: GETTY Images )
Recently, a swarm of viral videos hit social media of employees under the Sesame Street character costumes, ignoring innocent children. The children watched in awe, and in confusion as to why they were being ignored and treated in this manner. The characters would openly embrace other non-black children with no hesitation.
According to Fox Business, Sesame Place Philadelphia has issued three public apologies; explaining that the character had difficulty seeing in the costume and made gestures requesting ‘no’ to holding a child for photos, which is against their policies.
(📸: Courier Times)
So far, this is the only incident where a lawsuit has been offficially filed.