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The Blue’s Clues catchy sing-a-long for Pride Month is one more reflection of host Joshua Dela Cruz’s drumbeat mantra of hope, optimism, and inclusion.

The first Asian American host of the enduring children’s Nickelodeon series shared his views on racism and inclusion, hoping to bring his sense of peace to children and adults alike. “Because we are human there are days when things don’t look so hopeful and things kind of wear down on us a lot more,” Dela Cruz told Showbiz Cheat Sheet in Sept. 2020. “But then we think about where we are as a society and where we were as a society undoubtedly things are getting better.”

Joshua Dela Cruz visits the Build Series to discuss Nickelodeon's Blues Clues & You in 2019
Joshua Dela Cruz visits the Build Series to discuss Nickelodeon’s Blues Clues & You in 2019 | Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

‘Blue’s Clues’ host Joshua Dela Cruz believes progress has been made

The Blue’s Clues Pride sing-a-along was designed to mark LGBTQ Pride Month in June. The animated video features RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favorite Nina West, who sings a new version to the song, “The Ants Go Marching.” The lyrics are updated to celebrate pride and family. “This family has two mommies they love each other so proudly,” West sings in the video. “And they all go marching in the big parade!”

While Dela Cruz didn’t comment to Showbiz Cheat Sheet specifically about the Pride video, he made it clear that he felt a sense of responsibility to promote acceptance and inclusion. He reflected on where society stands today and how far humanity has come. “Things are still not great,” he said. “But it’s that progress that maybe 70 years ago my wife and I wouldn’t have been able to get married, which is something to look back on as how we’ve come a long way. And we have so much further to go.” Dela Cruz is of Filipino descent and his wife is white.

“Especially today when the world is getting so much more smaller and smaller,” he added. “It’s important for us to realize that there are a lot of different perspectives on this one thing. And is there a way to find the least violent course of action where we can be understanding that we don’t have to agree.”

Joshua Dela Cruz hopes for more discussion on progressive issues

Dela Cruz reflected about racism and how society can move forward. “But we also need to agree that we’re talking about humans and not numbers or criminals,” he remarked. “So why is this thing happening? And is there any way to solve that issue? Yelling at each other is never going to get anything done. And playing the blame game never gets anything done.”

“The only way we can truly solve something is if we talk about it,” he said. “If we work together in order to help people. I think that that’s kind of the thing where we’re in a very strange place where it’s us versus them when it’s all us.”

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He is also hopeful that inclusion and acceptance is coming. “But progress is coming,” Dela Cruz shared. “And I think that the hopeful thing about all of this is that we’re having such a serious conversation about all of it. And so it does leave us more hopeful in those times where it’s especially dark.”

Adding, “I can’t imagine the responsibility that parents have in tackling these issues in a way that kids can comprehend and understand,” he said. “And, you know, in some ways I think they can understand much better than we can. It’s right and wrong.”

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