Standing together against racial injustice
A letter to partners from Roz Brewer, Rossann Williams and Zing Shaw.
A letter to partners from Roz Brewer, Rossann Williams and Zing Shaw
Dear partners,
We have always led with Our Mission and Values. Through every moment in our history, and in every crisis, Starbucks has come together to show: We will not be bystanders. This has never been more true than today.
These are alarming, uncertain times and people everywhere are hurting. You’ve told us you need a way to express yourself at work, asking:
Do you understand how I feel!?
Do you understand the black community is in pain?
We see you. We hear you. Black Lives Matter. That is a fact and will never change.
This movement is a catalyst for change, and right now, it’s telling us a lot of things need to be addressed so we can make space to heal.
As we talked about earlier this week, we’re designing new t-shirts with the graphic below to demonstrate our allyship and show we stand together in unity. Until these arrive, we’ve heard you want to show your support, so just be you. Wear your BLM pin or t-shirt. We are so proud of your passionate support of our common humanity. We trust you to do what’s right while never forgetting Starbucks is a welcoming third place where all are treated with dignity and respect.
Designed for partners, by partners, our Starbucks Black Partner Network and allies created the t-shirt to recognize the historic significance of this time. Together, we’re saying: Black Lives Matter and it’s going to take ALL of us, working together, to affect change. That means using our voice to vote in our elections, volunteering in our black communities, joining local peaceful protests, ensuring our diverse slates of job candidates translate into diverse hires, mentoring and sponsoring partners of color so they can reach their maximum potential and taking steps to build greater understanding with empathy. Most importantly, it means ensuring we create a safe third place where you are seen, heard and valued.
You’ll receive additional operational guidance by Monday, June 15.
We are in this together, always.
Your partners,
Roz, Rossann and Zing