Black Family Files $25M Lawsuit Over Sesame Place Controversy
A Maryland family is suing SeaWorld for $25 million following an incident between a character and two Black girls at its Sesame Street-themed park in Philadelphia. According to the lawsuit, during a meet and greet last…
A Maryland family is suing SeaWorld for $25 million following an incident between a character and two Black girls at its Sesame Street-themed park in Philadelphia.
According to the lawsuit, during a meet and greet last month, four employees dressed as Sesame Place characters disregarded a man named Quinton Burns, his daughter Kennedi Burns and other Black individuals, as Fox News reported.
“SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment LLC, engages in pervasive and appalling race discrimination against children in the operation of Sesame Place Philadelphia,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit reportedly claims the employees wearing the costumes “intentionally, wantonly, and publicly discriminated” against the family and others based on their race.
Additionally, it argues that SeaWorld knew of their “personal beliefs of racial bias toward Black people” and their “propensity to discriminate against Black people based on their race or color.”
The lawsuit is calling on SeaWorld to issue an “unconditional apology to Class Members and Black America.”
It demands SeaWorld implement “rigorous mandatory cultural sensitivity training for agents and employees, so they can better recognize, understand, and deliver an inclusive and equitable experience to all members of the public irrespective of their race.”
The company responded to the lawsuit in a statement Wednesday night, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia.
“We will review the lawsuit filed on behalf of Mr. Burns. We look forward to addressing that claim through the established legal process. We are committed to deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience for all our guests,” the statement reads.