Meet Julia!

Alan and Julia

Meet Sesame Street's newest resident Julia, a 4-year old Muppet with red hair and a favorite bunny clutched in her hand.  She loves to sing and can memorize lyrics better than her younger peers.  

She also has autism, which means she does some things a little differently.  For example, upon meeting Big Bird for the first time, she doesn't make eye contact or speak, but rather continues coloring.  "I thought maybe she didn't like me," Big Bird told 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stall in a recent interview about the first Julia episode ("Meet Julia"), which airs April 10th.  Elmo was quick to chime in: "Yeah, but you know, we had to explain to Big Bird that Julia likes Big Bird," he added. "It's just that Julia has autism.  So sometimes it takes her a little longer to do things."

It is through this spirit of inclusion and friendship that Sesame Street, the much-heralded children's show, hopes to promote understanding about autism to a new generation.  One in 68 children in the United States has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  Though there is not a one-size-fits-all definition of autism, the CDC notes that the developmental disability can cause social, communication, and behavioral changes.

In the "Meet Julia" episode, the adult character of Alan is careful to frame his responses to questions about Julia's autism as what that means "for Julia."  At one point in her first episode, Julia gets upset by a siren, covering her ears.  Alan simply explains to the other Muppets that Julia doesn't like loud noises.

Constructing a new Sesame Street character with autism presented a few challenges.  Because Julia flaps her hands when she gets upset – a behavior that is not uncommon among those with autism – her Muppet required two separate sets of arms; ones that could flap and others that didn't.

Emotionally, however, the puppeteer behind Julia has felt like she has been preparing for the role for years.  Stacey Gordon, a Phoenix-based puppeteer, has a son who has autism, and used to work as a therapist to children on the autism spectrum.  "The 'Meet Julia' episode is something that I wish my son's friends had been able to see when they were small.  I remember him having meltdowns and his classmates not understanding how to react."

Sesame Street aired its first episode in 1969, and for decades, it has remained one of the most powerful and effective ways to reach children. "Through Julia, we aim to show that all kids are amazing, and that all kids can be friends," the show tweeted.