New video footage launched on Thursday reveals the second a 5-year-old black woman was allegedly snubbed at Sesame Place by a number of park workers dressed as characters throughout a meet-and-greet occasion final month.
Quinton Burns, the woman’s father, has filed a $25 million class-action lawsuit in opposition to SeaWorld Parks, the proprietor of Sesame Place, for “pervasive and appalling race discrimination,” after he claims his daughter, Kennedi, was ignored.
The video, shared by the regulation agency representing the Baltimore household, reveals an worker dressed because the Telly Monster stroll to the facet of the road as different characters dance on the street.
The Telly character seems to supply his hand for a shake to 1 younger spectator, however blow by Kennedi, who had additionally reached out her hand.
The woman then turns round to the digital camera and frowns, clearly confused and upset at what simply occurred.
The video cuts to a different worker dressed as Ernie additionally shaking fingers with different youngsters, however not the younger black woman as she desperately holds out her hand. She turns and says one thing to the digital camera, dissatisfied once more.
“Simply taking a look at her face, it makes me need to cry each time I see it,” Burns mentioned throughout a press convention together with his attorneys on Wednesday, CBS Baltimore reported.
The lawsuit alleges Kennedi was ignored by 4 characters in all on the June 18 occasion on the Pennsylvania park attributable to her race: “SeaWorld’s performers readily engaged with quite a few equally located white prospects.”
“We stand right here earlier than you in the present day merely attempting to battle and shield little Black youngsters and their basic civil rights,” lawyer Malcolm Ruff instructed reporters.
“She was ignored amongst a sea of different younger white youngsters who have been capable of work together, give hugs, excessive fives,” Ruff mentioned.
Ruff mentioned Burns contacted his regulation agency after viewing a viral clip exhibiting two different black ladies from New York allegedly handed over in favor of white youngsters within the crowd throughout a parade.
“Kennedi was compelled to expertise racism on the age of 5. That is unacceptable and we is not going to stand by and let this proceed,” Ruff mentioned.
Legal professionals representing the New York household instructed CBS they aren't a part of this lawsuit.
Sesame Place mentioned in a press release that it's reviewing its practices to establish any obligatory modifications. It has additionally introduced that each one workers will endure bias coaching on account of the incidents.
“We are going to overview the lawsuit filed on behalf of Mr. Burns,” the park mentioned in a press release to CBS Baltimore. “We look ahead to addressing that declare by means of the established authorized course of. We're dedicated to ship an inclusive, equitable and entertaining expertise for all our friends.”
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