I’m embarrassed that I missed the broadcast on Sunday, but I think this is a fascinating development in family television. Sesame Street introduced Lily, a seven-year-old muppet that doesn’t always know where she’ll get her next meal. Lily is “food insecure” as are too, too many kids today. I’ve worked in schools where the hot lunch in the cafeteria is likely the only solid meal a student will eat in a day…they come to school hungry, they go to bed hungry. The Sesame Street character, with her family, relies on the neighborhood food pantry and community gardens when they can’t make ends meet. For kids to see a storyline like hers and the sensitive and appropriate way the cast deals with it, can go miles toward understanding. It is not your fault if you are hungry, and you are not alone. Huge messages. Lily was introduced on a special evening broadcast called “Growing Hope Against Hunger” and is not currently slated to be a regular on “the Street.” I have a dear friend who is in the cast of Sesame Street, and it would be such a great storyline to see how his (human/non-muppet) character approached her situation. I hope Lily might come back around–I think she can add a lot to the neighborhood. Like Kami, an HIV-positive muppet character that was only on the South African Sesame Street broadcasts, the folks at the Sesame Workshop, having done this for over four decades, truly know how to broach difficult subjects from a young person’s point of view, and stimulate respectful, healthy conversations at home and in the classroom.
As for me, I’ll never forget when the cast had to explain to Big Bird how Mister Hooper had died and wasn’t coming back to Sesame Street. I was home from college…and riveted. The good work of these folks continues…Bravo!
Tonight at 8PM, NBC will air All Together Now: A Celebration of Service, the first time since President Obama’s inauguration that all four surviving presidents will gather. Clinton, Carter, Bush & Bush will assemble at the Kennedy Center for the event sponsored by the Points of Light Institute to honor President Bush, Sr. for his contributions to engendering a country that embraces volunteering and service. Since all four have been champions of community involvement for all Americans, it is a nice move to bring all together to show that making a difference in the world means political parties make no difference. Performances this evening will also feature Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Cee Lo Green, Reba McEntire, Sam Moore, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Darius Rucker, and Carrie Underwood to champion the service movement (and up the cool factor for different generations).
25 million more Americans are volunteering today than were in 1989—and we’ve only just begun. Dip into the well for a little boost of inspiration.
Last night’s news broadcasts started showing more of the devastation suffered in Nashville and other regions of Tennessee, with a tour inside the flooded and hard-hit Grand Ole Opry. The country music community is responding and banding together for a charity concert, Nashville Rising, on June 22. Initiated by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, the rest of the nation will have to do without country music that day, because practically every performer will be in Music City. In addition to McGraw and Hill, also pitching in that night to bring a little relief will be Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Miley Cyrus, Amy Grant, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, Leeann Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood. If you think that is all who will show up, you don’t know benefit concerts very well—tons more will undoubtedly be added. There isn’t an American musician who doesn’t respect the hallowed ground that is Nashville.
If you can’t wait that long, on May 16, a benefit concert for flood relief, Music City Keep on Playin‘ features Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler, Martina McBride, Keb Mo, Will Hoge, CeCe Winans, and more.
The show must go on. If you can’t be there to spend your tourism dollars in the region and support the hardest-hit communities in person, consider a donation. There are natural and unnatural disasters happening in this world every day, and supporting recovery is everybody’s mission.
Are you musical? Want to hang out and do the same work as artists like Seal, Carrie Underwood, John Mayer, Rob Thomas, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Kelly Rowland, Maroon 5, Daughtry, the Bacon Brothers, Brad Paisley, Avril Lavigne, and more? Musicians on Call is a charitable organization that brings the healing power of music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. The one-on-one contact between musician and patient is intimate and does wonders for mood and energy. While some of the leaders of the music industry lend their time and talent, you don’t have to sell out stadium arenas to be a part of this. Volunteer musicians are needed in New York, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Miami. Non-musicians can also help as guides who accompany musicians at performances and act as a liaison between the musician and hospital staff. MOC is also expanding the programs to Veteran’s hospitals nationwide, so you can jump in by signing up here.
Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Kelly Rowland, Maroon 5, Daughtry, the Bacon Brothers, Brad Paisley, Avril Lavigne, and more? 
Change by Doing 