Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 17 april 2018

Starbucks to train workers on 'unconscious bias,' CEO says

ridiculous? It's absolute dis-
crimination."
A woman can be heard
in the video saying "they
didn't do anything, I saw
the entire thing."
Philadelphia Mayor Jim
Kenney, who met with
Johnson on Monday, said
the city will review its guide-
lines on how to respond to
future requests for police
assistance.
Police haven't announced
the names of the men, who
were released after the dis-
trict attorney's office said
there was lack of evidence
that a crime had been
committed.
Asked if the incident was
a case of racism, Johnson
responded: "Starbucks was
built around the concept
of a third place where we
create a warm and wel-
coming environment for all
customers. What I do know
is that did not happen in
this instance. And that is
what we're focused on."
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, center, walks towards a meeting with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and other officials Monday
April 16, 2018, at Philadelphia City Hall. Philadelphia-born comedi-
Associated Press an Kevin Hart had taken to
Twitter on Monday to vent
By KRISTEN DE GROOT and would take place. took over the Philadelphia Officials have said the offi- about the arrests, saying
JOSEPH PISANI "I'd like to have a dialogue shop, chanting slogans cers were told the men had the company failed to take
Associated Press with them and the oppor- like, "A whole lot of racism, asked to use the store's rest- advantage of an opportu-
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Star- tunity to listen to them with a whole lot of crap, Star- room but were denied be- nity to call out racial profil-
bucks wants to add training compassion and empathy bucks coffee is anti-black." cause they hadn't bought ing. He says the employee
for store managers on "un- through the experience A Starbucks regional vice anything, and they refused who called police should
conscious bias," CEO Kevin they went through," said president who attempted to leave. have been fired.
Johnson said Monday, as Johnson, who has been to talk to the protesters was Video shows several po- On Sunday he tweeted,
activists held more pro- CEO for about a year. shouted down. lice talking quietly with two "Our city is shining bright
tests at a Philadelphia store Stewart Cohen, the lawyer "We don't want this Star- black men seated at a like a diamond right now.
where two black men were for the two men, said he bucks to make any money table. After a few minutes, Please make this situation
arrested after employees hopes "something produc- today. That's our goal," said officers handcuff the men right."
said they were trespassing. tive for the community" Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, and lead them outside as Seattle-based Starbucks
Johnson, who has called can come out of such a one of the protest's organiz- other customers say they had posted a statement on
the arrests "reprehensible," meeting. ers and co-founder of the weren't doing anything Twitter over the weekend
arrived in Philadelphia this The incident is a major Black and Brown Workers wrong. A white man iden- about the arrests, followed
weekend after video of the blow to Starbucks' image, Collective. tified as real estate devel- by an apology from John-
incident gained traction since the company has Over the weekend, demon- oper Andrew Yaffe arrives son.
online. He said he hopes promoted its coffee shops strators called for the firing and tells the officers the "Every company makes
to meet with the two men as neighborhood hangouts of the employee who con- two men were waiting for mistakes, but great compa-
in the next couple of days where anyone is welcome. tacted police, who arrest- him. An officer says the nies are the ones that learn
and apologize face to After a video of the arrests ed the men on Thursday. men were not complying from those mistakes and
face. A company spokes- spread online, the hashtag Starbucks did not respond and were being arrested take appropriate action,"
man said the men have #BoycottStarbucks trend- to a request for comment for trespassing. Johnson said Monday.
agreed to a meeting with ed on Twitter. about the employment "Why would they be asked "And that's exactly what I
Johnson, but it was not im- And on Monday morning, status of the manager who to leave?" Yaffe says. "Does intend to do. We're review-
mediately known when it about two dozen protesters called police. anybody else think this is ing all aspects of this."q