Dear Ms. Willingham:
Thank you for your article examining the introduction of Julia, a character with autism, into the Sesame Street cast by the Sesame Workshop. When Julia’s launch was announced through media outlets recently, it was widely met with waves of excitement from individuals with autism, their parents, and professionals. We applaud you for providing a more sober analysis to determine the true potential value of this initiative for the autism community.
We at the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), agree that the Sesame Workshop may have arrived late in the conversation about autism in our society, and also that the wait may have been worth it. You noted that Sesame assembled a team of advisors for their “See Amazing” initiative made up of groups from across the autism advocacy spectrum, including groups often at odds with each other, like Autism Speaks and the Autism Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN). We appreciate your decision to highlight that, as it demonstrates that the Sesame Workshop welcomed varied input. Additionally, as you point out, their inclusion of the group Exceptional Minds, comprised of individuals affected by autism, is critical. Emphasizing such a partnership allows consumers of this programming to see firsthand the work that a group of people with autism can produce, and the input they had in the development of content for the initiative.
We noticed your recognition of one of the most important efforts of the See Amazing initiative—to lessen the stigmatization of people with autism and their families, as well promote the talents that people with autism spectrum disorders have. You accomplished this while also acknowledging the potential criticisms that the character Julia may receive, in that she may be overly stereotyped. It would be impossible for Sesame Workshop to encapsulate the community of people affected by autism in one character, and we found helpful your attempt to remind readers that this is just one fictional representation of one person on the spectrum. With your piece, you provided an accessible perspective on Julia that both recognized the variety of voices from the autism community that played a hand in her development, as well as the implications of her presence in the conversation about autism, and how others can be involved in it.
Charles Shepard, MA, LPC and Elizabeth G. Callahan, MA, BCaBA
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
