Starbucks Closing All Company-Owned Stores Tuesday Afternoon For Anti-Bias Training
SEATTLE (CBSLA/AP) -- Starbucks, trying to put to rest an outcry over the arrest of two black men at one of its stores, is closing more than 8,000 stores for an afternoon of anti-bias training, a strategy some believe can keep racism at bay.
Find out when your local store is closing here
After the arrests in Philadelphia last month, the coffee chain's leaders apologized and met with the two men, but also reached out to activists and experts in bias training to put together a curriculum for its 175,000 workers.
That has put a spotlight on the little-known world of "unconscious bias training," which is used by many corporations, police departments and other organizations to help address racism in the workplace. The training is typically designed to get people to open up about implicit biases and stereotypes in encountering people of color, gender or other identities.
The Perception Institute, a consortium of researchers consulting with Starbucks, defines implicit bias as attitudes — positive or negative — or stereotypes someone has toward a person or group without being conscious of it. A common example, according to some of its studies, is a tendency for white people to unknowingly associate black people with criminal behavior.
Many retailers including Walmart and Target said they already offer some racial bias training. Target says it plans to expand that training. Nordstrom has said it plans to enhance its training after issuing an apology to three black teenagers in Missouri who employees falsely accused of shoplifting.
Anti-bias sessions can incorporate personal reflections, explorations of feelings and mental exercises. But one expert says training of this kind can have the opposite effect if people feel judged.
According to a video previewing the Starbucks training, there will be recorded remarks from Starbucks executives and rapper/activist Common. From there, employees will "move into a real and honest exploration of bias" where, in small groups, they can share how the issue comes up in their daily work life.
Starbucks has described it as a "collaborative and engaging experience for store partners to learn together." "
Developed with feedback from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Perception Institute and other social advocacy groups, the four-hour session will give workers a primer on the history of civil rights from the 1960s to present day. Workers will also view a short documentary film.
In the Philadelphia incident, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were asked to leave after one was denied access to the bathroom. They were arrested by police minutes after they sat down to await a business meeting. The incident was recorded by cellphones and went viral.
Nelson and Robinson settled with Starbucks this month for an undisclosed sum and an offer of a free education. They also reached a deal with the city of Philadelphia for a symbolic $1 each and a promise from officials to establish a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.
Starbucks has since announced anyone can use its restrooms even if they are not buying anything. According to documents Starbucks sent to store workers, employees should also think carefully when dealing with disruptive customers. A guide advises staff to consider whether the actions they take would apply to any customer in the same situation. They should dial 911 only if the situation seems unsafe.
In Los Angeles, KCAL9's Tina Patel spoke to coffee lover about having to find another fix Tuesday afternoon.
"I think it's a step in the right direction," said Priestly Pring, "There's a lot of racial divisiveness in the country and I think it's kind of a hot topic."
Before Philadelphia, a black man in Torrance said he was denied use of the bathroom after seeing permission granted to a white patron.
Incidents such as these prompted the company to address implicit racial bias,
Patel reports that all licensed stores will take part. Starbucks locations in places like Target will remain open, Starbucks says they'll share their curriculum in those locations so those employees can also remain sensitive to racial issues.
Some customers Patel spoke to don't expect major changes overnight but they are hopeful some good will come from the training.
"It's a bigger positive than it is a negative," said Pring, "So I'll sacrifice my Grande Iced Blonde [Caffe] Americano in order to make the country a little bit more accepting of minorities."
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