Over 10 million cups of coffee are sold at Starbucks around the world every day, Business Insider reports. If that is roughly 10 million people holding those cups throughout the day, then Starbucks is reaching a mass quantity of people’s attention with its message — whatever that may be.
Two weeks ago, at a Philadelphia Starbucks, because of a viral video and social media, Starbucks’ message skyrocketed across the nation.
On April 12, two black men sat waiting in the internationally recognized coffee shop for a friend.
The New York Times reports the two men asked to use the Starbucks restrooms but were denied by an employee because they had yet to buy anything.
Eventually, the men were asked to leave. When they declined, an employee called the police. The men were then arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Ultimately, Starbucks did not press charges.
On the surface, this incident might just seem like everything that happened escalated a little too quickly. But, what happened showcases a deeper riff.
Like many incidents, large and small, involving black people and the police, the occurrence was filmed, causing a national stir — and rightly so.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson met with the two men to learn about their experience and share future policies to curb these kinds of issues.
In response, Starbucks will close more than 8,000 U.S. stores and corporate offices for an afternoon on May 29. This time will allow for more thorough training “designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome,” according to a Starbucks news release.
It will take more than a day to “fix” what happened at that Philadelphia location. It will take more than a few training hours to “fix” racial profiling on any scale.
Johnson’s statement read: “I’m writing this evening to convey three things: First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of doing whatever we can to make things right. Second, to let you know of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. And third, to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling.”
These sorts of incidents happen every day. But not all of these incidents always happen on camera, or in a well-loved national chain.
If the 10 million people that buy Starbucks every single day spent the time thinking about race relations while sipping on their coffee, we might have a shot at changing the way we view race. Still, it takes more than 10 million Starbucks fanatics to change the minds of an entire society, just as it will take more than the actions of a corporate entity.
It is important that culture changes take place in companies where the mindsets of its employees are not on the same page about inclusivity and sensitivity.
Starbucks took the brunt of America’s embarrassment over the last several weeks. But the shame is not only Starbucks’ to bare.
“While this is not limited to Starbucks, we’re committed to being a part of the solution,” Johnson wrote.
Although Starbucks’ reaction to the issue was well-prepared and could solve future issues, the problem is not just Starbucks — it’s America.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @Hailey_ann97