An outraged mother is calling out Sesame Place after she said her two Black daughters were shunned by a character. The woman, identified as Jodi on Instagram, was with her children as they watched characters parade through the theme park.
Video footage captured by the mother shows the two girls excitedly reaching out to touch the character Rosita. As Rosita nears the girls, she is seen high-fiving other children and a white woman standing next to the two girls. Instead of high-fiving Jodi’s girls, the character is witnessed waving her hand “no” and avoiding contact with the girls altogether.
Jodi claimed Rosita followed through with high-fiving a white girl after ignoring her children. She shared footage and her frustrations on Instagram (July 17). “I’m going to keep posting this because this had me hot. We were on our way out of Sesame Place and the kids wanted to stop to see the characters. THIS DISGUSTING person blatantly told our kids NO then proceeded to hug the little white girl next to us!” she wrote.
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The angered mother said she attempted to complain about the incident to a member of management but was unsuccessful. Her post continued, “They looking at me like I’m crazy. I asked the lady who the character was and I wanted to see a supervisor and she told me SHE DIDNT KNOW!! I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again! And please feel free to repost this. Actually run me my money back 😡🤬so mad I stopped the video but it got me so mad when he blatantly told them no.”
Social media users were equally outraged by the footage, many of whom believe race played a factor in the girls being ignored. Destiny’s Chid singer Kelly Rowland expressed similar frustrations while reacting to the video. “Okay so had that been me, that whole parade would have been in flames,” said Rowland. “Are you serious? You not going to speak to my child? And did you see that baby’s face at the end? The little one with the pink on, she deserves an explanation. Hello,” she added.
Jodi further shared a screenshot of her DMs showing that a member of the Sesame Place management team eventually contacted her regarding the incident. Check out some of the reactions of others below:
Fuck Sesame Place. Fuck Rosita. And fuck anybody that doesn’t have a problem with that video. Protect little Black kids from foul treatment by the whack ass people under these costumes. Call their asses out every time.
— Somebody’s Fine Mama 💋🫶🏾 (@BombshellCole) July 17, 2022
I am so disgusted @SesamePlace. This blatant display of racism is both unacceptable and heartbreaking to say the least. Your staff embraced its caucasian customers but shunned two little innocent black girls. How embarrassing and disgraceful? pic.twitter.com/iaBmAoVaYN
— _KiiaBaybee (@_KiiaBaybee) July 17, 2022
Wth is going on at Sesame Place in Philly?! 🤬 That was definitely racially motivated the looks of sadness on those babies faces just made my blood boil. So sorry for the mother who paid for her daughters to have a great experience, and her daughters had to experience that. 🤦🏽♀️
— Bianca Wilson (@___bjw___) July 17, 2022
It’s upsetting because no matter what damage control is attempted by Sesame Place, nothing can undo how these babies were made to feel in this moment. The looks on their faces are so heartbreaking. https://t.co/orkTmnwbaF
— krh (@kyiarenee) July 17, 2022
@SesamePlace 😡😡you don’t do this to kids you high five a grown ass woman and wave off two small kids is so disheartening your staff should be ashamed of themselves hard earned money was spent here for our kids to have a good time only to leave sad and disappointed.#RositasoRude pic.twitter.com/rftOhK0Zos
— 💕Marsha Marsh 💕 (@MarshaPierrelo1) July 17, 2022
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