‘Sesame Street’ Wants Asian American Children to Be ‘Proud of Your Eyes’

“Sesame Street” is helping Asian American children grapple with bullying via a new song called “Proud of Your Eyes.”

In the video, neighborhood residents Alan, the Japanese American owner of Hooper’s Store, and Wes, a recently introduced African American character on the show, encounter their friend Analyn after she has an upsetting experience at the park.

Analyn, who is of Filipino heritage, tells Alan and Wes that a boy ridiculed her eyes and called them “slanty.” The incident leaves her feeling sad, and she asks Alan and Wes if her eyes are indeed ugly. The two proceed to reassure Analyn that her eyes are beautiful and part of what makes her who she is.

“Your eyes tell the story of your family / They show where you come from and how you came to be,” the song’s lyrics go. “The color, the shape and the size / Should always make you proud of your eyes.”

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