Bay Area Companies Stand With Black Lives Matter Against Racism

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Photo: MediaNews Group/East Bay Times

On May 25, 2020 George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis PD and has since caused massive protests across the United States and around the world. As civilians and politicians took up the mantle of advocacy many companies would soon join the fight and use their voice to condemn the systemic racism in America.

The Bay Area is known for it’s many innovators in the technology, business, fashion, art, and a myriad of other fields. Many companies that lead these innovations are now taking a stand with protesters and using their platform to spread awareness and advocate for cultural and legal change. Companies like Google, Netflix, Pixar, Wells Fargo, Sephora, and Ben and Jerry’s. However, it’s the progressive ice cream company that stole the show on social media and is being praised for it’s succinct and direct message.

“All of us at Ben & Jerry’s are outraged about the murder of another Black person by Minneapolis police officers last week and the continued violent response by police against protestors. We have to speak out. We have to stand together with the victims of murder, marginalization, and repression because of their skin color, and with those who seek justice through protests across our country. We have to say his name: George Floyd,” an open letter from the company stated.

“The murder of George Floyd was the result of inhumane police brutality that is perpetuated by a culture of white supremacy. What happened to George Floyd was not the result of a bad apple; it was the predictable consequence of a racist and prejudiced system and culture that has treated Black bodies as the enemy from the beginning. What happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis is the fruit borne of toxic seeds planted on the shores of our country in Jamestown in 1619, when the first enslaved men and women arrived on this continent. Floyd is the latest in a long list of names that stretches back to that time and that shore. Some of those names we know — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Emmett Till, Martin Luther King, Jr. — most we don’t.”

“Unless and until white America is willing to collectively acknowledge its privilege, take responsibility for its past and the impact it has on the present, and commit to creating a future steeped in justice, the list of names that George Floyd has been added to will never end. We have to use this moment to accelerate our nation’s long journey towards justice and a more perfect union.”

The ice cream makers also called for three things to be done to make tangible changes. First, Trump must disavow white supremacists and commit to a process of reconciliation. Second, the government must seriously enact measures (such as H.R. 40) to create reparations for African Americans. Third, the United States must form a national task force for ending racial violence and increasing police accountability.

Read the full statement here: Dismantle White Supremacy – Silence Is Not an Option

Here is a list of other Bay Area giants that are backing the movement:

Google

Youtube

Netflix

San Francisco 49ers

Golden State Warriors

San Francisco Giants

Salesforce

Levi’s

Pixar

Wells Fargo

Uber

Sephora

Gap

Playstation (Sony Active Entertainment)

Yelp

Twitch

Airbnb

Kaiser Permanente

Electronic Arts

Macy’s

Adobe

 

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