A jury has found that Sesame Place in Bucks County not liable years after a mother of two young Black girls said a character appeared to snub them in 2022.
The case included claims of discrimination by children who said they felt ignored by the costumed performers during various parades at the park.
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, a jury unanimously voted "no" to the questions asked of if Sesame Place, and its parent company SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, were liable.
"We are pleased with the jury’s verdict and thank them for their service and attention. The facts presented demonstrate that we treat our guests equally. We want every guest at our park to feel welcomed and safe when they visit us and to be able to see and feel aspects of themselves in the experiences we create. We’re proud of the role we play in creating lasting memories – especially for our youngest guests. We are constantly learning and improving and we’re committed to using our parks to help build a more inclusive experience for our guests," a spokesperson for Sesame Place said in a statement.
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Viral video stirs Sesame Place controversy
A video shared largely on social media in July of 2022, appeared to show a character at Sesame Place Philadelphia denying an interaction to two young Black girls before greeting people next to the pair.
The family's lawyer said at the time following the incident that the gesture showed racist intent and contradicts the theme park's claims of inclusion.
The video showed that after passing the girls, the character playing Rosita reached toward another girl – who LaMarr said was white – to give her what appeared to be a hug.
In the original video, the Black girls are seen excitedly reaching out to the character. Although it appears that the performer had interacted with other children before reaching the girls, the video seems to show the character shaking their head “no” in the direction of the two girls.
Sesame Place originally said the performer’s costume may have made it difficult to see the girls and that the “no” gesture made by the character in the first video was not specifically aimed at the pair. The gesture, the park said, was made in “response to multiple requests from someone in the crowd who asked Rosita to hold their child for a photo which is not permitted.”
The park said it reviewed its practices and instituted mandatory training for all employees to deliver an “equitable” and “inclusive” experience to guests.
“We are committed to learning all we can from this situation to make meaningful change. We want every child who comes to our park to feel included, seen and inspired,” Sesame Place said in a statement at the time.
In the days after the incident, the family's lawyer said that over 150 families reached out to him and his law firm alleging similarly conduct from performers at the park.
The girls’ mother and aunt demanded the performer be fired. Their lawyer said Sesame Place should have been made to cover any expenses related to the mental health of the girls, who he said were left dealing with “severe emotional distress.”
A few week after the incident, the park announced that it would be conducting a “racial equity assessment” of the park including a review of park policies and practices to identify opportunities for improvement.
The park also said all employees would be participating in anti-bias training and education to address bias, promote inclusion, prevent discrimination and cultivate a welcoming environment for all guests.
