Sesame Street, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on television this year, hasn’t just been a program that has educated and entertained children for decades—it’s also been a groundbreaking force in terms of Latino representation.
“I was a child of the ‘50s, and I watched a lot of TV,” Emmy-winning writer and actress Sonia Manzano told NBC News. “Back then, Latinos were invisible. I used to feel like I was the only Puerto Rican in the world.” Little did she know that she’d be the one to help change that, becoming the first Latina actress to lead a U.S. show when she was cast as the beloved character Maria on the show in 1971.
“Then when I got on Sesame Street, I thought, wow, maybe there's another kid somewhere who was like me, just looking for a moment of recognition and sanctuary,” she said. “Over the years, Sesame Street has reflected the changes in society, dealing with issues like homelessness, autism, Afro-Latino identity and grief,” NBC News continued. “But diversity has always been part of the show’s mission.”
Mexico-born Carmen Osbahr, the last puppeteer hired by Sesame Street creator Jim Henson, fondly remembers one episode where her character, Rosita, “felt self-conscious about her accent.” Rather than tell Rosita that maybe it could be something that might fade away with time, the show’s characters told Rosita to embrace who she was, telling her “they loved her and that she should be proud of knowing two languages.”
It’s an important message that many could use remembering today, along with why it’s so important to keep supporting public television. Emilio Delgado, who played Maria’s husband, Luis, said “People would tell me that I was the one person who looked like them on TV. Many grown immigrant kids have told me that the show helped them learn English. With Luis and Maria, we would sometimes throw in bits of Spanish, too.”
Did you watch Sesame Street as a child? What’s your favorite memory from the show?