A New York Times report looks at how the set of 'Sesame Street' has changed over the years to reflect other changes in urban geographies including cities like New York.
There has been some gentrification and improvements. The classic NY 'brownstones' appear of course, and there are changes in other small details too. Jane Jacobs is referenced in the piece.
You will need to follow the link to watch the video, which was posted a week or so ago on various social media feeds, which is where I picked it up.
Subscription needed to read the actual article.
Over on LinkedIn, Alice Ferguson has written about the piece:
I want to talk about Sesame Street! A big part of my own childhood, this show gave us a world where community was everything, people were kind (if sometimes grumpy), skin (or fur) colour didn’t matter and children were cared for and respected, “seen and heard”.It also, obviously, was set on an actual street. A street for people, not cars. The front “stoop” was where interactions happened. Children played and learnt about the world around them. They were free.
This is the world, more or less, I actually grew up in - Bristol in the 70s. There were more cars and (sadly) fewer big yellow birds, but as children we felt cared for by our community and we played out all day, every day.
Things have changed beyond belief for children in the US and the UK. Cars have been allowed to dominate the space that was once ours. Children have been pushed aside. Communities no longer know each other.
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