Chatham Girl Part Of Historic 'Sesame Street’ Thanksgiving Show

CHATHAM, NJ — “Ji-Young,” the first Asian-American Muppet, received a warm welcome to “Sesame Street” on “Thanksgiving Day from the many taking part in Sesame Street’s “Neighbor Day” celebration, including a youngster from Chatham.

In the heartwarming episode “See Us Coming Together,” with a focus on the customs and gifts the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have brought to the United States, Ji-Young, with her family origins from Korea, learned more about why she has so much to give herself to the community.

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“Alan,” a Japanese-American who runs “Hooper’s Store,” “Cookie Monster,” “Elmo” and “Big Bird,” were just a few of Sesame Street’s familiar faces who joined in for Neighbor Day, along with friends in the neighborhood with their family backgrounds from the Philippines, China, Hawaii and other places, who each taught that it is what every one of the different cultures brings to the neighborhood, that makes every neighborhood so special.

Watch the video below with Ji-Young to learn more about her name origins, with "Ji" meaning "smart" or "wise" in Korean and "Young" for "brave," "courageous" or "strong."

Concidentally, "Ji" also means "sesame" in Korean, Ji-Young told fellow Muppet "Ernie."

The famous Sesame Street song “The People In Your Neighborhood,” first created in 1969, had a reboot on the episode with all of the characters on the show, working through the story together after Ji-Young had first told them she had been excluded, another child yelling at her to "go back home." The episode teaches that all of the cultures fit together like a mosaic, bringing their own uniqueness and belong on Sesame Street together, which is their home.

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka even had a special message for Ji-Young, letting her know she is part of a team.

Actor Simu Liu and actress, model and TV host Padma Lakshmi, were also in the episode.

Among those welcoming Ji-Young, was Rachael Dutta, who had a role as the daughter in the “Menon family,” an Indian-American family with lineage from India and friends with Alan, who with her TV family, wore a three-piece Indian traditional outfit, a red “Lehenga Choli,” later swapping her outfit in another scene for a sports jersey, then running to go play on a field with her TV brother.

In real life, Dutta, 7, is from Chatham Borough, a second grader at the Milton Avenue School; and the daughter of Kinshuk Dutta and Noirita Bera.

Being a part of “See Us Coming Together” was Rachael Dutta’s first appearance in a television episode, Bera told Patch. She began working before she turned four, in “short films, commercials, voice overs, episodes and print campaigns,” Bera said.

Among the works Dutta already has under her belt, are the Netflix/Moonbug show “Cocomelon,” along with work for NIKE, The North Face, UNICEF and an environmental PSA for the United Nations. Click here to view Dutta's professional profile and acting reels.

See Us Coming Together was a special telecast on Thanksgiving on HBO Max and PBSKids, as well as local PBS stations and Sesame Street’s social media, including Instagram.

The creative team at Sesame Street, according to an Associated Press story, decided to introduce characters like Ji-Young following the death of George Floyd and the reported rise in Asian-American hate incidents in 2020, with Black American Muppet Tamir - also recently introduced - the first Muppet to speak about racism.

Ji-Young was developed by the "culture trust" group at the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, "Sesame Workshop." Ji-Young - who like Dutta is 7-years-old - enjoys skateboarding and playing electric guitar. Ji-Young's unique and endearing spirit and mannerisms come from her puppeteer Kathleen Kim, a Korean American herself, the AP reports.

It was an honor for Dutta to be a part of this episode, her mother said.

“Rachael is very kind-hearted and she believes everyone should be respected equally in every aspect of life,” Bera said. “She is so happy to be part of this episode, which specifically talks about how ‘our differences make us great and how we all belong.’”

Watch the full episode below, with Dutta first appearing at 5:55, in the video:

Read more about the historic episode from the Associated Press.

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