Entertainment

Cartoon Network Urges Kids To View Each Other By Skin Color

(Photo: YouTube/Screenshot/Public-User: Cartoon Network)

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
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Cartoon Network launched a PSA that urges kids to view each other by the color of their skin and “be anti-racist.”

The two-minute-long PSA, from “Steven Universe” creator Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey, was posted to YouTube on Tuesday. (RELATED: Kids Cartoon Show Introduces Lesbian Pony Couple)

“It’s important to SEE people in all their beautiful COLORS. When you see color and the unique experiences that come from it, you can recognize the role racism plays in our culture AND appreciate everyone and their diversity,” the clip’s description read.

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The ad consists of three characters—one white, one black and a purple alien named Amethyst.

The video starts off with the trio singing, “colorblindness is our game because everyone’s the same. Everybody join our circle, doesn’t matter if you’re white, or black, or purple.”

“Hold up a minute here, who wrote this?” Amethyst interrupts, as the PSA turns meta. “I think it kind of does matter that I’m purple. I mean, I’m purple because I’m literally an alien.”

“Well I’m not an alien, but it definitely matters to me that I’m black,” the black character shares.

“Yeah, it makes a difference that I’m white,” the white character replies. “I know the two of us get treated very differently.”

“I think people add the black, white or purple thing because adding a fantasy race in there helps distract from the actual racism black people have to deal with,” she says.

“Right,” the black character replies. “My experience with anti-black racism is really specific. Other people of color experience other forms of racism, too. But you won’t see any of that if you don’t see color.”

“So this entire public service announcement could be a ploy to avoid talking about racism altogether,” Amethyst says. “Hey, could we get a rewrite where we appreciate each other without erasing what makes each of us different?”

A graphic then appears at the end of the clip: “See color. Be anti-racist.”

The PSA is the third of a four-part series from the network designed to “provide kids and families with productive ways to disrupt common narratives about racism,” Variety reported.