Tuesday, May 29, 2018: two significant events occurred in the United States. Two major corporations took action on social issues that, at least in the short run, hurt their bottom line. They made decisions to reduce the impact of racism in the United States.
Starbucks closed 8,000 stores for company-wide training on racial bias. By closing stores to train employees, the company’s loss was estimated to be between $12 and $14 million. Some claim this was a publicity stunt. However, I suggest that Starbucks didn’t need to take this step. A quiet financial settlement would have been sufficient to save-face following the incident of the store employee calling the police because two African-American men sat at a table without making a purchase. The company also didn’t need to make clear policies that anyone can sit in a store without a purchase as well as use the restrooms. By engaging in corporate training and making restrooms and seating space available to all without a purchase, Starbucks is demonstrating clear prosocial values.
While the racial bias training occurred at Starbucks, ABC-TV canceled the hit comedy show, Rosanne. Rated as the #1 scripted show this season, ABC responded to the Rosanne Barr’s wildly offensive and racially derogatory tweets about Valerie Jarrett, a former advisor to President Barrack Obama. Barr’s agent also canceled her contract and will no longer represent her.
What’s striking to me about these events is that they demonstrate that corporations are more likely to grasp the significance of the problem of racism than many people and institutions in the United States. These actions, while public, follow in line with standard practice in most corporations. As an employee of an educational corporation, I am required to participant in annual training on issues related to harassment, relationships, and tolerance. This type of education is standard for corporations who need to assure that people of a wide range of backgrounds, values, and identities work together well. This is not to say that corporations have become magically post-racial, post-feminist, or post-anything else. Instead, having a safe, comfortable, and stable workplace assures quality work and productivity. People function better when the environment upholds safeguards for everyone — or at least makes clear efforts to do so.
At the same time, other institutions in society are far behind the curve when it comes to creating spaces where diverse individuals find themselves to be safe and respected for who they are. In particular, elected officials and religious leaders appear to be free to speak without impunity about people and groups in any way they choose. They are given a free pass for their incendiary speech because the racism, sexism, or homophobia they espouse is viewed as an expression of their political views or religious beliefs. In a pluralistic society like those found in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, such political posturing and the preaching of division needs to be called out for what it is, be it racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, or other forms of judgementalism and bigotry which reduces the humanity of people and relegates them to some kind of second-class status.
To overcome racism and other social ills in society requires that white people change. Change is difficult when there is an implicit benefit for one group of people in any society. But without change, so-called minority groups are forced to struggle with the experience of marginalization in society. Change begins when people gain more awareness of the dynamics of white privilege and racism, which is the bedrock prejudice in the United States. The Starbuck’s training began by attempting to build awareness of the problems surrounding white privilege and racism. But change doesn’t happen simply because one is aware. Based on awareness, it’s critical to name the problems of racism and white privilege when they occur. Indeed, these problems occur within us and around us. It is only when we can name racism and white privilege that we can begin the process of change.
Change is possible. But we need to want change to occur. The real problem with racism and white privilege is that white people are comfortable with the way things are. Getting to the point when the majority of residents of the US want to live without bias and prejudice will take very real effort. But at least on one day, two corporations provide examples of how change begins.
Photo by Taymaz Valley on Foter.com / CC BY