On May 29th, Starbucks closed the doors of its 8,000 some stores in order to train its employees on the ways of fair treatment and, basically, how to not force two black men out of the coffee shop because you think they’re trespassing, especially when they’re just waiting for a business partner. This is a good move by Starbucks, even though it doesn’t feel like it should have to be necessary in 2018. When the story broke, the immediate thing that came to my mind was the 1960 restaurant sit-ins of black college students sitting at white-only counters. Obviously these are very different situations, however, the Starbucks story is eerily reminiscent of one of the early protests of the Civil Rights Movement.
This occasion, one that happens more often than it is made aware, feels like more than just two steps back. And Starbucks’ resolution feels like a baby-step forward. Although, it seems difficult to change the mindsets’ of a large group of people; even more difficult in a day and age when, if you only want to read or watch news and stories that will confirm your bias, it’s never been easier.
And that seems to be part of the problem. With so many avenues in which to receive the news - and facts - one can avoid challenging their own opinions. Which inevitably leads to a circle of reaffirmation of whatever truth, however true, one believes. The challenging of ideas is what leads to new ideas and discoveries. At the least, it leads to new perspectives on things, which, I cannot imagine a scenario where a new perspective is harmful.
So spending a day to educate their employees on how to change those inherent biases we all have in order to really treat everyone fairly is an overall good move by Starbucks. Closing their stores for an entire day also says something in of itself. It is a good move because it’s difficult to think of better solutions. The real challenge is acknowledging and changing the inherent biases of people across the country. Like the woman in California who called the cops on two black men carrying bags out of a neighboring house - their AirBnB. Incidents like these happen all the time and rarely make national news, because well, they frankly happen to often for it to be reported every time. They are not stories that really catch your attention, compared to what is happening in the White House daily, for example. But awareness is the first step here, followed by correction. The men kicked out of Starbucks made a powerful decision to accept $1 each and instead use the settlement money to create a scholarship. Hopefully, we will not need another incident like this one to continue to change the inherent biases the closet racists.
