Did you follow the Starbucks #racetogether campaign?
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz basically offered baristas the opportunity to write the words RACE TOGETHER on cups. The program was voluntary. The goal was to spark conversations about race.
The backlash was, to put it mildly, harsh.
I guess I understand. Starbucks is a service business. People show up with certain expectations, and I suppose those don’t include a dose of social consciousness with their $7 latte.
I suppose the campaign was poorly executed. Messaging wasn’t consistent. Employees weren’t given clear talking points. Customer desires weren’t considered. The whole thing made folks uncomfortable.
What if uncomfortable was the point? What if Schultz wasn’t trying to run a carefully-orchestrated social media campaign? What if he simply took a risk because he believes the issue matters? What if (gasp!) something actually outweighs the bottom line and social justice matters more than fancy coffee?
It’s so easy to become cynical, to conclude Schultz must be an idiot (highly unlikely) for proposing such a tone-deaf notion. If not, then surely there’s some sinister ulterior motive.
Perhaps I’m naïve, but I have a hard time finding the downside to raising awareness of the obvious racial divide that exists in America, especially when it’s done respectfully. I don’t know Howard Schultz or what’s in his heart. I’ve read most of his words as this “controversy” unfolded, and I applaud him for using his platform to take a stand. It takes guts to step up and do something when you know it’ll be unpopular.
All the intense criticism says Don’t take the risk. Don’t even try, because we’ll rip you. It tells the next company, organization, or church to step back, remain silent. Instead of Thanks for trying, here’s what we learned, the next guy can try it this way we said You’re an idiot and any other company that even tries will get the same treatment.
That’s all about spreading fear.
To all of Schultz’s critics, I’d simply ask what you’re doing–beyond criticizing. What are you doing with your platform? What risks are you taking? How are you advancing the discussion?
What if the conversation about race doesn’t need a slick social media campaign with consistent talking points? What if what’s needed are regular folks who are willing to interrupt the same-old-same-old, who refuse to ignore the elephant in the room and don’t mind a bit of uncomfortable?
What if things don’t get changed by the critics or the experts, but by a ragtag group of uneducated fishermen and outcasts who didn’t wait for someone else?
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