#147 - Sesame Street & Autism: 10 Years Of Julia!

In this special episode of The Autism Little Learners Podcast, I'm celebrating 10 years of Sesame Workshop's Autism Initiative and the creation of the beloved character, Julia! I had the absolute joy of sitting down with Kama Einhorn and Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas from Sesame Workshop to talk about the incredible impact of authentic representation, inclusion, and collaboration with the autism community.

We dive into how Julia was created to truly reflect the experiences of autistic children and families, the thoughtful research that goes into every Sesame Workshop project, and the global reach of their work. You'll also hear about puppeteer Stacey Gordon—whose personal connection to autism brings such authenticity to Julia's voice—and some exciting new projects on the horizon that continue to celebrate acceptance, understanding, and belonging for all children.

Key Takeaways:

• Sesame Workshop's Autism Initiative has been making an impact for a decade.

• Julia was created to reflect the experiences of autistic children and promote understanding.

• Collaboration with autistic individuals, families, and experts is central to Sesame Workshop's process.

• Representation in media helps normalize conversations about autism and inclusion.

• Puppeteer Stacey Gordon brings personal insight and authenticity to Julia's character.

• Every piece of content is research-based and tested before release.

• The team continually evolves to ensure portrayals of autism are authentic and neurodiversity-affirming.

• Julia's story continues to grow — showing her friendships, family life, and even her communication with an AAC device.

• Free, bilingual resources are available for families at SesameWorkshop.org/Autism.

• The Autism Initiative has had a global impact, expanding to shows like Sisimpur in Bangladesh.

Guest Bios:

Before we jump in, I'd love to tell you a bit more about today's guests, Kama and Abby.

Kama Einhorn
As Senior Director of Content Design for Sesame Workshop's Global Education group, Kama Einhorn develops multimedia resources for children, parents, and providers. Before joining the Workshop in 2004, she wrote and edited early childhood teaching resources for Scholastic. Kama holds a master's degree in education from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas
Dr. Abigail Bucuvalas is the Senior Director of Curriculum and Programs in the Global Education Department at Sesame Workshop. In this role, she leads the processes for curriculum development and program design, collaborates on monitoring and evaluation, and develops new project concepts within the areas of nature, health, and social norms and inclusion. Previously, she led education activities for LEGO Foundation-funded work in development and crisis-affected settings, managed educational content and partnerships for the Nigerian co-production of Sesame Street, and directed a professional development project for teachers in Ghana. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Abigail collaborated on health research in the U.S. and abroad, funded by the American Cancer Society and the National Institutes of Health. She holds an Ed.D. in Health Education and an Ed.M. in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an A.B. in Psychology from Harvard University.

Learn More:

Explore all of Sesame Workshop's autism resources and celebrate Julia's 10th anniversary at www.sesameworkshop.org/autism.

🎧 Listen On:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Autism Little Learners Website