Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 14 SPONSORED CONTENT PROVIDED BY LOOK, LISTEN + LEARN TV A staggering 90% of brain development happens in the first five years of a child’s life, according to Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines. And just 33% of Black and Indigenous kindergartners in Washington state possess the skills expected for their grade level. It’s no coincidence that on children’s TV shows, only 4% of the characters are Black, Indigenous or Latino. Representation, or lack of it, has an impact. One way to help close educational opportunity gaps is by producing early-learning television that features BIPOC children. Seeing kids who look like them encourages curiosity, builds self-esteem and inspires the imaginations of these children. And perhaps most important, it provides a crucial reminder that they belong in all the same spaces as their white classmates. For 9-year-old Elijah Horn, the impact of seeing diversity on screen took the form of an opportunity to try his hand at acting. Elijah and his family regularly watch “Look, Listen + Learn,” an Emmy-nominated early-learning TV show that features a cast that’s 98% BIPOC actors. “As a mixed-race Black family, this was the first time we’d seen a children’s program that focused on people who looked like us,” Elijah’s mom, Tamara Horn, says. Increasing media inclusion is key to helping more kids like Elijah broaden their vision of their place in the world. “It’s crucial to create content that’s physically accessible, visually diverse and produced by a diverse team of storytellers,” says Leisha Muraki, communications director of “Look, Listen + Learn,” “Representation, of course, matters for Diverse media representation impacts early learning Look, Listen + Learn TV is a nonprofit media organization, featuring the brilliance of Black, Indigenous and people of color for everyone to see. We aim to advance early learning in children of color through media and television. Learn more at www.looklistenandlearn.org. everyone. But for kids, media representation is even more meaningful because they look for cues in their social environment to develop and shape their understanding of ethnic and racial groups.” For this reason, it’s important for all young people to see diverse portrayals of all races and ethnicities — and in order to achieve this, it’s key that adults and decision-makers understand the importance. When he got the opportunity to audition for Season 3 last year, Elijah was initially hesitant and bashful. But thanks to the encouragement of Horn and a supportive production crew, he came out of his shell during the audition process and successfully landed a role on the series he had once watched from his living room. “I saw his confidence creep up. He knew he had the strength inside and the crew on site supported him to shine,” Horn says. The confidence boost paid off; Elijah was cast in starring roles in both the show’s cooking and music segments. His excellent performance and enthusiasm during his first role on “Look, Listen + Learn” translated to further opportunities, both on the show and beyond. Elijah returned for another episode — this time in the series’ annual holiday variety show alongside his parents and former Seahawk Doug Baldwin. Elijah is currently busy preparing to audition for his school play and is eager to continue exploring his new favorite hobby. Whether it remains a hobby or becomes a career path he is interested in pursuing further, Elijah now knows that there is a place for him on screen and it’s a space where he does belong. Muraki notes that Elijah’s performance will impact other BIPOC children. “As a viewer, I got the chance to see Elijah’s brilliance come through the screen,” Muraki says. “As a person of color who rarely saw myself represented in the media when growing up, I was heartened by the thought that maybe another child would feel seen or inspired by Elijah’s performance.” Muraki describes “Look, Listen + Learn” as a show “in the loving tradition of Mr. Rogers,” which encourages young children to explore books, arts and cooking with co-hosts Possum and Auntie Lena, as well as a community of BIPOC artists from all over Washington state. Each episode is tied to a social or emotional topic or goal and the script is written based on the topic at hand. In addition to featuring a BIPOC cast, Muraki emphasizes the importance of working closely with diverse groups, ranging from the board of directors to the diverse community around them. For example, she says focus groups are hugely helpful and influential in informing scripts based on the lived experiences of those being represented on screen. “Right now we do have a focus on bringing in more of the Indigenous community,” she says. “We’ve done a little bit more with the Polynesian community and Hawaiian natives, and we’ve filmed at The Salish School [of Spokane], which is specific to learning the Salish language. But we’re trying to build our Indigenous network so they’re included more in our next season of filming.” Shows featuring a diverse cast have the power to make a strong impact in highlighting and supporting BIPOC children’s brilliance. “Viewers see kids like them as being smart, playful and imaginative on screen,” says Muraki. “[And] the more diversity in media, the more BIPOC kids will feel like, ‘this is a space for me.’ ” Co-hosts Possum and Auntie Lena celebrate their Telly Award for Children’s TV Series for Season One of “Look, Listen + Learn.” Donate today! On set at LL+L TV’s “Sip, Savor + Share” event. From left: Howard Brantley (former board president), Tamara Horn, Possum, Solomon Horn, Elijah Horn, Doug Baldwin (former Seahawk) and Val-Thomas Matson (founder, executive producer and “Auntie Lena”) (Look, Listen + Learn TV)
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