Steven Universe character teaches children to be anti-racist in Cartoon Network PSA

‘You have to acknowledge racism to work against it,’ PSA tells kids

The creators of Steven Universe have produced an anti-racism PSA encouraging kids to actively combat racism in their lives.

The children’s animated series, which airs on Cartoon Network, came to an end in January 2019 after five seasons, with a movie and spin-off miniseries being released later that year.

However, the show’s much-loved characters made a return on Tuesday (27 October) as they kicked off a new series of anti-racism PSAs from creator Rebecca Sugar.

Created in partnership with her husband Ian Jones-Quartey, creator of fellow Cartoon Network show OK KO! Let's Be Heroes, the first video takes place on the set of an anti-racism PSA, with the child actors acting out how to handle a racist incident.

But when the cameras cut, one actor comments that the video is “cheesy” and that “stuff like this doesn’t actually happen in real life”.

Garnet, a character from Steven Universe voiced by Estelle, then tells the actor: “Just because this has never happened to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.”

“Everyone messes up sometimes, but you’ve got to realise it hurts to deal with racism,” one of the other boys comments. “When people act like its not real, it makes it even worse.”

Garnet then delivers the video’s message, saying: “You have to acknowledge racism to work against it.”

The video, titled “Don’t Deny It, Defy It” is the first of four to be released on the Cartoon Network YouTube channel.