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Val Thomas-Matson always wanted to work in children’s television. But the Western Washington University communications graduate’s first task interning at KOMO was stuffing envelopes with letters explaining the cancellation of beloved local children’s show “Boomerang.” It would take nearly 30 years before a Best Starts for Kids grant gave her the opportunity to create her own local children’s TV program.

“Look, Listen and Learn” is an early-learning television show grounded in child-development research. Created by producer Thomas-Matson for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) audiences, the show features a diverse cast in local settings. It presents lessons for kindergarten-readiness and addresses timely, real-world issues like the Black Lives Matter movement. The first season of “Look, Listen and Learn” recently won three Tellys, awards honoring excellence in video and television across all screens from among 12,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.