#Sesame Access

[dynamicdouble]

Midweek Message: How Innovation Is Enhancing Accessibility

P-R-A-C-T-I-CAL things have to be practical, or whatever that song by Chappell Roan says! #Accessibility #BuildMyAccessibleHome #MidweekMessage #Disability #SesameAccess #ChappellRoan #HotToGo

Accessibility in Action P-R-A-C-T-I-CAL things have to be practical, or whatever that song by Chappell Roan says! I recently saw a video on TikTok where hotel staff were helping @theinclusivetraveller use their lift to exit the building, which I found pretty interesting. What makes concepts and ideas like this great, and what could they mean for accessibility? Let’s dive deeper into how such…

[orange-ghost]

Despite that one unfortunate Autism Speaks situation, Sesame Street has done a lot of good in keeping education ACCESSIBLE to little kids who need it the most. *Especially* disabled kids of color whose families couldn't afford cable, let alone streaming.

I didn't have the privilege of going to a good school when I was little. So stuff like this really helped & I make it a priority to support it now. If you got some cash, show Sesame Street (or maybe PBS Kids as a whole!) some love :]

Comment below if you need anything!

[homohellcat]

Day one post election; I feel like that cat who got his little face dunked in milk. I'm going to the college library to hug a therapy dog, and then I'm going home and taking edibles until I black out.

[edwardshundredyearoldspunk]

I've seen a lot of posts and videos about late gen z and gen alpha and how horrible they are, how they can't read, how all they want to do is use their phones and ipads and they're out of control and rude.

and the blame inevitably goes to land on the parents without much more thought put into it.

I've seen rarely anyone call it what it is, which is a moral panic. that's what it is. I myself am guilty of contributing to this. we blame the parents for "putting an ipad" in the kids face at the first sign of distress without taking a step back to think, "why are these parents having less time to spend educating their children?" we blame teachers for passing students that clearly are not at the required skill level to move to the next grade without stopping to ask "why are we losing passionate educators? why are the ones we have left so overworked?"

it's capitalism btw.

it's not an individual problem, it is systemic.

poor parents, single parents, marginalized parents, all of these are the parents who you are really shaming by refusing to acknowledge that this, just as everything, is a symptom of a greater problem. we know educators aren't making enough; we know educators are leaving the field in droves; we know income, disability, race, et al. are contributing factors to gaining a fruitful education; we know people are working longer and harder than ever for less and less pay.

yet we are unwilling to put these pieces together into the forgone conclusion that there are systemic barriers put into place to prevent future generations from access to quality education. we wring our hands and talk about screentime and social media and how the internet is the problem or the kids are the problem or the bad millennial parents are the problem or tiktok or ipads or lack of discipline or

but we need to stop and think for a moment, because the only thing that benefits from the idea that this burgeoning education problem is a moral failing that the "real" and "good" parents aren't guilty of, rather than the capitalist machine working as intended, is you guessed it, the capitalist system that birthed many of these issues in the first place

[aliengummy]

🥣

[pipiandraws]

spent like a dumb amount of time yesterday trying to make a tiktok about how maybe instead of trying to remove all not kid friendly content off of youtube... we just remove the kids from youtube. but its hard to justify my reasoning when i prefaced it w talking about the gorey mlp videos lol. its just too easy for reactionaries to go.. erm acktually they shouldnt have made gorey mlp videos.. but idk maybe kids shouldnt have been there to begin w. so then it wouldnt be a problem to make the weird shit that inevitably ends up on youtube. its basically impossible to try to moderate something as giant as youtube so its just the better and easier solution for everybody involved. esp considering how too much screentime is impacting kids negatively (attention spans.. low reading scores and just bad behavior) so. is that so crazy to suggest

[mage-ical-character-person]

Call me crazy but I don’t think I should have to make a trip to the Library of Congress to watch an episode of Sesame Street.

and no,

It’s not on Streaming Service either. Streaming Service also can’t count so clearly we need more publicly accessible Sesame Street episodes.

so much for Public Broadcasting I guess.

[ethanscrocs]

Here are some additional sources supporting the points made above:

(warning for antiblack racism)

Trigger Warning: Usage of the N Word.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/02/05/sesame-street-ban-mississippi/

A quick note: Their future isn't as at risk as the original post may imply. Sesame Street is produced by a nonprofit and it will continue to have a home at PBS. However, being removed from HBOMax makes the show extremely inaccessible and the future of the show is unclear.

babe. I know we’re all going thru a lot rn but I just wanna give u the heads up that sesame streets future is in jeopardy. hbo has chosen not to renew it for new episodes (a series that has been going since 1969) and the residents of 123 Sesame Street no longer have a home :(

[emma-ofnormandy]

In a normal circumstance, I hate Netflix. However, they struck a deal to produce new episodes of Sesame Street and will ensure that the episodes remain free and accessible on PBS for all kids and for that, they deserve gratitude.

Additionally, unlike the deal previous struck with HBO, this one with Netflix also makes its so new episodes are simultaneously available via Netflix, PBS, and the PBS Kids app.

Please continue to support Sesame Street and all the other PBS programming via donations to ensure everyone, kids and adults alike, continue to have access to educational viewing.

[dj-tunic]

I know it's still kinda gonna be public access. But.. that's at the behest of a mega corporation. What happens when they decide its not financially viable to keep a public access show up and running? Netflix used to be ad free, remember? How will it be affected by censorship? Will they start chanting how mega corporations are your friend? More and more product placement? I see this as a huge loss.

[chronicbitchsyndrome]

i have been in community with profoundly developmentally disabled peers and peers with brain damage my whole life, bc i had a childhood diagnosis. i have also been leftist my whole life; my mother was a marxist and raised me that way, and while their politics were absolute dogshit, they were lefty dogshit.

my entire life, i have seen leftist educators throw mentally disabled people away as "lost causes" because they couldn't engage with the material the way it was being presented. leftist outreach and education does, genuinely, have a massive lack of accessible material. to be blunt, people are not interested in retrofitting their leftist outreach to be accessible to people who learn best through episodes of sesame street.

as in, i have repeatedly faced outright laughter and cruelty over the idea that this could be a priority. or even something that we consider doing at all.

"people who are that mentally disabled don't need to know about these things," the kindest interpretation goes. ("people who are that mentally disabled don't interact with the world, anyway, they're all in institutions or monitored 24/7 by their parents," the uncharitable underlying assumptions go. "they wouldn't be a worker who needs a union. or a library attendee. or a member of the community garden. or a volunteer at the food bank. or or or")

the people i have seen this hurt the worst, over and over again, are profoundly mentally disabled people of color whose lack of access to accessible antiracist education is causing real danger in their lives. institutionalized disabled people of color who have learned racist ideology and behaviors from white authority, whether they were adopted by white families or incarcerated in care institutions run by white staff. who are treated lower than garbage by leftist educators, who view them as "lost causes," as unworthy of time and effort and attention, as deserving of their abuses because they... what... internalized the abuses that make up every aspect of their lives since birth?

i see people saying things in this conversation like "disability isn't an excuse for racism or transphobia or whatever, people have the obligation to improve themselves." oh, believe me, i have seen again and again how many privileged disabled people utilize their disabilities to punch down on others, try to escape accountability for their punching down by citing disability. but individual weaponization of identity is just that: weaponization of identity.

the power structures at play are what they are. it is a noble and admirable goal to want leftist outreach and education to be more accessible to all. if that is truly your goal, you must eventually reckon with the existence of people who do, actually, really need it presented in a picture book. or an episode of bluey. or a conversation where you only use examples of people they know in real life, using things that happened to them personally. the existence of people who cannot grasp forms of abstract reasoning, who need information presented as rules, or as guidelines, or as categories. the idea that yes, fully grown adults who need daniel tiger to explain racism to them are human beings who not only deserve access to that very thing, but who also deserve to be a part of leftist spaces and benefit from leftist organizing. are people for whom it might be INTEGRAL they get to be a part of leftism. are victims of racism themselves and suffering without access to antiracist spaces and community and support.

and you will need to reckon with the abject cruelty of your peers who laugh and mock the very idea of this. you need to reckon with the fact that a lot of people you respect, a lot of leftists doing genuinely good work, will respond to this by making fun of the people you're serving, even outright telling you their violent fantasies about these people. that is the experience of organizing in leftist spaces for profoundly disabled people. that is why so many of us burn out so fast. there IS a structural problem with mentally disabled people being seen as disposable and not a part of community. and it is EXTREMELY present in leftist organizing and outreach efforts.

[crowleys-emotional-support-angel]

REBLOG THE SHIT OUT OF THIS PLEASE AND THANK YOU

In the early 70s Sesame Street was created with an eye towards educating poor, inner-city children for free, and became a massive hit with all children. In 2016, faced with going off the air forever after facing conservative efforts to destroy public broadcasting since basically its beginning, new episodes became a timed exclusive for premium cable network HBO. In 2022 HBO Max, newly merged with and taken over by reality TV channel Discovery, removed Sesame Street episodes and spin-offs from streaming as a tax write-off and scheme to avoid paying residuals.

[agere-guide]

🎒 Basic Gear for Agere, Petre, and Caregiving

Gear for Littles (Agere)

Stuffed animals / plushies Sippy cups or juice boxes Coloring books & crayons Blankets or weighted blankets Pacifiers / teethers (Especially if younger) Storybooks / picture books Cute pajamas or onesies Stickers / reward charts Cartoons / comfort shows access Sensory/fidget toys Soft music or lullabies Little-friendly snacks

Gear for Pet Regressors (Petre)

Ears / tail clips or headbands Collars / name tags Pet bed or blanket spot Balls / rope toys / plushies Treat jars or snack bowls Paw gloves or mittens Chew toys / chew-safe necklaces (aka chewelry) Scented toys or blankets Praise chart / obedience tokens Cute themed clothes (puppy shirt, etc.) Soft sounds / animal noises (Ambience)

❤️ Gear for Caregivers

Planner / routine tracker Activity kits (coloring, crafts) First aid / comfort bag Stuffie “doctor” kit Reminder alarms / sticky notes Reward chart / sticker sheets Calming playlist Healthy snacks / sippies “Caregiver voice” practice Personal journal or notes (Log preferences, triggers, favorite things) Extra Dips if your little uses them!! they should be able to put them on themselves, but make sure you have extras with you in case of emergency.

Show Suggestions

Bluey Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Peppa Pig My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Sesame Street Pocoyo Masha and the Bear Llama Llama Franklin VeggieTales ANYTHING THAT COMFORTS THEM!

For Pet regressors:

Puppy Dog Pals 44 Cats Octonauts The Secret Life of Pets Kipper the Dog Clifford the Big Red Dog Aristocats Paw Patrol Blue’s Clues Wishbone

[muppet-facts]

Muppet Fact #1456

Sesame Street has officially announced that the show will now air on Netflix and PBS simultaneously.

After the streaming deal with Warner Bros. Discovery was not renewed, there were some questions regarding the fate of the beloved children's educational program. However, after today's announcement we now know season 56 of Sesame Street will now have another home on Netflix.

Sherrie Westin, the CEO of Sesame Workshop said in a press release:

This unique public-private partnership ensures children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on PBS KIDS to the Sesame Street they love. This combined support advances our mission and ensures we can help all children—everywhere—grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.

Not only will new episodes air on PBS, but there will also be new games on pbskids.org, an expansion of parent and educator resources, and more.

Sources:

PBS Publicity. "PBS KIDS Announces New SESAME STREET Deal." PBS, May 19, 2025. https://www.pbs.org/about/about-pbs/blogs/news/pbs-kids-announces-new-sesame-street-deal/.

Associated Press. "'Sesame Street' moves in with Netflix, but will stay on PBS." Associated Press, May 19, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/sesame-street-netflix-move-pbs-b74920f423e9790973b59735689696c2

Respers France, Lisa. "‘Sesame Street’ taking up residence on Netflix." CNN, May 19, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/entertainment/sesame-street-netflix.

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A decorative orange ceramic plate with a pyramid of green herbs and sesame seeds, topped with deep red sumac and more sesame seeds. End ID]

زعتر فلسطيني / Za'tar falastinia (Palestinian spice blend)

Za'tar (زَعْتَر; also transliterated "za'atar," "zaatar" and "zatar") is the name of a family of culinary herbs; it is also the name of a group of spice blends made by mixing these herbs with varying amounts of olive oil, sumac, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and other spices. Palestinian versions of za'tar often include caraway, aniseed, and roasted wheat alongside generous portions of sumac and sesame seeds. The resulting blend is bold, zesty, and aromatic, with a hint of floral sourness from the sumac, and notes of licorice and anise.

Za'tar is considered by Palestinians to have particular national, political, and personal importance, and exists as a symbol of both Israeli oppression and Palestinian home-making and resistance. Its major components, olive oil and wild thyme, are targeted by the settler state in large part due to their importance to ecology, identity, and trade in Palestine—settlers burn and raze Palestinian farmers' olive trees by the thousands each year. A 1977 Israeli law forbade the harvesting of wild herbs within its claimed borders, with violators of the law risking fines and confiscation, injury, and even death from shootings or land mines; in 2006, za'tar was further restricted, such that even its possession in the West Bank was met with confiscation and fines.

Despite the blanket ban on harvesting wild herbs (none of which are endangered), Arabs are the only ones to be charged and fined for the crime. Samir Naamnih calls the ban an attempt to "starve us out," given that foraging is a major source of food for many Palestinians, and that picking and selling herbs is often the sole form of income for impoverished families. Meanwhile, Israeli farmers have domesticated and farmed za'tar on expropriated Palestinian land, selling it (both the herb and the spice mixture) back to Palestinians, and later marketing it abroad as an "Israeli" blend; they thus profit from the ban on wild harvesting of the herb. This farming model, as well as the double standard regarding harvesting, refer back to an idea that Arabs are a primitive people unfit to own the land, because they did not cultivate or develop it as the settlers did (i.e., did not attempt to recreate a European landscape or European models of agriculture); colonizing and settling the land are cast as justified, and even righteous.

The importance of the ban on foraging goes beyond the economic. Raya Ziada, founder of an acroecology nonprofit based in Ramallah, noted in 2019 that "taking away access to [wild herbs] doesn't just debilitate our economy and compromise what we eat. It's symbolic." Za'tar serves variously as a symbol of Palestinians' connection to the land and to nature; of Israeli colonial dispossession and theft; of the Palestinian home ("It’s a sign of a Palestinian home that has za’tar in it"); and of resistance to the colonial regime, as many Palestinians have continued to forage herbs such as za'tar and akkoub in the decades since the 1977 ban. Resistance to oppression will continue as long as there is oppression.

Palestine Action has called for bail fund donations to aid in their storming, occupying, shutting down, and dismantling of factories and offices owned by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Also contact your representatives in the USA, UK, and Canada.

Ingredients:

Za'tar (Origanum syriacum), 250g once dried (about 4 cups packed)

250g (1 2/3 cup) sesame seeds

170g (3/4 cup) Levantine sumac berries, or ground sumac (Rhus coriaria)

100g (1/2 cup) wheat berries (optional)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp aniseed (optional)

1/2 Tbsp caraway seeds (optional)

Levantine wild thyme (also known as Bible hyssop, Syrian oregano, and Lebanese oregano) may be purchased dried online. You may also be able to find some dried at a halal grocery store, where it will be labelled "زعتر" (za'tar) and "thym," "thyme," or "oregano." Check to make sure that what you're buying is just the herb and not the prepared mixture, which is also called "زعتر." Also ensure that what you're buying is not a product of Israel.

If you don't have access to Levantine thyme, Greek or Turkish oregano are good substitutes.

Wheat berries are the wheat kernel that is ground to produce flour. They may be available sold as "wheat berries" at a speciality health foods store. They may be omitted, or replaced with pre-ground whole wheat flour.

Instructions:

1. Harvest wild thyme and remove the stems from the leaves. Wash the leaves in a large bowl of water and pat dry; leave in a single layer in the sun for four days or so, until brittle. Skip this step if using pre-dried herbs.

2. Crumble leaves by rubbing them between the palms of your hands until they are very fine. Pass through a sieve or flour sifter into a large bowl, re-crumbling any leaves that are too coarse to get through.

Crumbling between the hands is an older method. You may also use a blender or food processor to grind the leaves.

3. Mix the sifted thyme with a drizzle of olive oil and work it between your hands until incorporated.

4. Briefly toast sumac berries, caraway seeds, and aniseed in a dry skillet over medium heat, then grind them to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle or a spice mill.

5. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until deeply golden brown.

6. (Optional) In a dry skillet on medium-low, toast wheat berries, stirring constantly, until they are deeply golden brown. Grind to a fine powder in a spice mill. If using ground flour, toast on low, stirring constantly, until browned.

Some people in the Levant bring their wheat to a local mill to be ground after toasting, as it produces a finer and more consistent texture.

7. Mix all ingredients together and work between your hands to incorporate.

Store za'tar in an airtight jar at room temperature. Mix with olive oil and use as a dipping sauce with bread.

[hazard-symbols-that-fuck-hard]

Okay time for the PBS Kids essay

Read it under the cut!

:readmore:

In 1968, before there was PBS Kids proper, there was Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. While it came several decades before the children’s block, it laid the foundation for the themes and values present in every facet of the network’s history.

Mr. Roger famously hated children’s programming at the time. To him, it all was droll and useless. But he didn’t dissuade the medium entirely— he saw potential. Potential that led to a few smaller television jobs, and eventually the creation of Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.

Rogers didn’t invent educational TV for children, but he did perfect it. He poured real heart and soul into probably the most sincere, heartfelt program in history.

Honestly, he could have his own essay. The more things you learn about the real man of Mr. Rogers, the more you’ll like him.

Anyway, the biggest thing that makes PBS different is the fact that it earns money through grants, fundraisers, and private donors— not through sponsorships and merchandise sales. This way, PBS Kids can push programming that it feels is important, rather than programming that merely sells well.

This also means PBS is less afraid of pushing social boundaries. Money doesn’t go away when their shows become subjects of debate— and Mr. Rogers took full advantage of this.

For context, this was 1969. The Jim Crow era had just barely, barely ended. Pool segregation was still very much legal.

Mr. Rogers sharing a pool and a towel with the Black Mr. Clemmons was a pretty big deal at the time— especially on a show made for children.

Rogers was far from the untouchable sacred cow of today. When he was alive, he had a large number of detractors. Let’s just say that scene didn’t fly nicely by everyone.

Just one year after the debut of Mr. Roger’s came Sesame Street.

While Mr. Roger’s was made for all children, Sesame Street had the explicit goal of supplementing the education of underserved communities— especially inner-city Black (and later Latino) children.

While it was made to be accessible to children of all races and income levels, they definitely went the extra mile to make it something special for inner-city Black and Brown kids. (Why do you think it it’s “Sesame Street” and not “Sesame Cul-de-Sac”?)

At the time, a wholesome, sweet show set in a brownstone street was practically unheard of.

Jon Stone, the casting director, deliberately sought to make the cast as rich with color as he possibly could, bringing on a huge amount of Black talent such as Loretta Long, Matt Robinson, and Kevin Clash, as well as featuring Black celebrities as guest stars. Later, the show would expand its horizons, bringing on actors from Latino, Asian, Native American, and many more backgrounds.

White actors were and still are a minority on show.

In addition to letters and numbers, the purpose of Sesame Street is clear: make kids of color know that they’re smart, beautiful, and loved.

It doesn’t get more explicit than this.

I want to point out this comment because it’s funny

You’re telling me this bitch isn’t Hispanic???

Anyway, these two were followed up by Reading Rainbow in 1983. And guess what?

That’s right. Non-white focus.

These three shows, (along with other, lesser-known programs like Lamb-Chops Play Along, Newton’s Apple, and Shining Times Station (who featured Ringo Starr himself?? seriously how did that happen and why does no one talk about it) and some other nostalgic favorites like Bill Nye the Science guy, The Magic Schoolbus, Arthur, and Thomas the Tank Engine) aired on the new PTV block, which evolved into PBS Kids in 1999, bringing along Between the Lions, Dragon Tales, and many more.

Arthur is another stand-out that I’d like to talk about— it doesn’t have the same racial focus of Sesame Street, but it does focus on different income levels. The characters have various housing situations, from apartments to mansions to no home at all.

It also takes cues from Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s in regards to talking about tough topics, though as Arthur has a slightly older target audience, it discusses things through stories rather than talking directly to the audience.

Cancer, religion, workplace discrimination, along with current (at the time) events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina are all discussed on the show.

Another big focus on Arthur is disability. For once, they don’t stick a character in a wheelchair and then pretend he’s not in a wheelchair. A striking number of major characters either develop or get diagnosed with physical disabilities and/or neurodivergences, such as asthma, severe food allergies, and dyslexia, and they deal with them in very realistic ways.

A handful of minor characters have more obvious disabilities, and THANK GOD they go beyond the trite messaging of “disabled people can do everything abled people can do! everyone clap now!”

One episode in particular has the awesome message of “holy shit stop trying to help me all the time— it’s patronizing as fuck. I can get around just fine without you stepping on eggshells and trying to be the hero all the fucking time”

There are sooo many other shows I could talk about, but I can’t write about them all. I’m definitely gonna point out some more standout ones, though.

Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat

Created by Chinese-American woman Amy Tang

Dragonfly TV

Features a multitude of female and non-white scientists to foster an interest in science with kids in those groups

Maya & Miguel

One of the network’s first Hispanic-led shows

SciGirls

I shouldn’t have to explain what the goal of this one was.

Molly of Denali

When was the last time you saw a show that treated Native Americans as people? Much less a children’s show? 90% of the cast is Athabascan, and the show revolves around Athabascan culture, not shying away from topics like boarding schools and modern-day racism. Most of the writers are also Athabascan, and the show even has an official Gwich’in dub!

It’s this commitment to real, authentic social justice that makes PBS Kids so much different from its competitors. Could you imagine the Paw Patrol dog looking at the camera and earnestly discussing what happened to George Floyd? I don’t think so— but Arthur talked specifically about it, Sesame Street did an hour long special about race in general, and the network itself made a 30 minute special.

Disney Jr. could never. (Other than trying to teach colorblindness, of course.)

I’m gonna have to cut this into two parts, since I just hit the image limit