Starbucks Responds To BLM Critics As Call For Boycott Intensifies

BY Erika Marie 4.0K Views
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Starbucks Boycott
Starbucks has stated that they support BLM, but an employee shared today (June 11) that workers aren't allowed to wear anything that displays their personal support of the movement.

Another day, another call for a company boycott. Businesses are finding themselves in peculiar places these days as their company policies, diversity in employment, support of the Black Lives Matter movement and many other concerns that the public has are brought to light. On Thursday (June 11), a woman who claimed to be an employee of Starbucks tweeted that the company prohibited any visible support of BLM. Employees were forbidden from wearing pins, labels, or clothing that showed they were supporters of the movement.

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A spokesperson for Starbucks reportedly doubled down on their stance, but the official Starbucks Twitter account offered a reply to the employee's original message. According to the Starbucks account, the company is now implementing new strategies to show that they do support Black Lives Matter and will have designs specifically created for its workers "in support of our Black partners."

"Hello. All U.S. CO partners will be sent a Starbucks partner shirt to lend our collective voice in support of our Black partners, customers and communities. The design will come from the Black Partner Network emphasizing our role and responsibility to not be bystanders," Starbucks tweeted. However, people still didn't know exactly what that meant, so the call to boycott the coffee company intensified as their controversial history found itself in the limelight once again. Check out a few responses below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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