Starbucks asked its baristas to discuss race relations with customers, but when the senior vice president was asked questions about race, he deleted his Twitter account.
Corey DuBrowa, Starbucks’ senior vice president of communications, was predictably inundated with tweets after the idea of having Starbucks employees engage customers in race relations discussions came to light.
The VP, a self-described “dedicated Twitter user,” started by blocking people — then deleted his account altogether.
“My Twitter account was targeted around midnight (Tuesday), and the tweets represented a distraction from the respectful conversation we’re trying to have around Race Together,” he told PR Week.
DuBrowa brought his account back Tuesday night and issued a statement.
“Last night, around midnight, I deleted my Twitter account. I also blocked a handful of Twitter users — given the hostile nature of what I was seeing, it felt like the right thing to do,” he said.
“So no matter how ugly the discussion has been since I shut my account down, I’m reaffirming my belief in the power of meaningful, civil, thoughtful, respectful, open conversation — on Twitter and everywhere else,” DuBrowa added.
“I believe in it personally, and Starbucks believes in it at the core of our company’s values.”
DuBrowa could have the best of intentions, but if he expects his baristas to take the heat, he should be able to as well.
@nashwakay @coreydu Are you going to educate your workers on race relations and racism in America? Will you compensate them for this?
— Bartosz Scheller (@BartoszScheller) March 17, 2015
I got blocked by @coreydu for asking legitimate questions about the @Starbucks #RaceTogether campaign. @nashwakay pic.twitter.com/OCHxkaZIEp
— Bartosz Scheller (@BartoszScheller) March 17, 2015
That was quick. How many people with questions is @coreydu gonna block? pic.twitter.com/A6Tvdot2L2
— Alex (@ImYourDM) March 17, 2015
@coreydu went from this to this in less time than a Scandal episode. Y’all the real Olivia Pope. pic.twitter.com/Qv6M3T7z3K
— TotesEvilTimesGuise (@KashannKilson) March 17, 2015
no one named corey who works for starbucks will ever do anything to improve race relations @coreydu
— Churlish (@Cryptoterra) March 17, 2015
less than a minute @fkabiggs @coreydu pic.twitter.com/qYG5Of3TDC
— Churlish (@Cryptoterra) March 17, 2015
Judging by some of the tweets coming his way after bringing his account back online, DuBrowa may wish he stayed gone.
.@coreydu When are you going to open up a @Starbucks in Ferguson? And in every black neighborhood? And every Democrat ghetto too?
— kerry (@Kerryepp) March 18, 2015
Asian people perpetually assumed to be immigrants > Your feelings. CC @coreydu
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) March 17, 2015
Latinos targeted for deportation > Your feelings. CC @coreydu
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) March 17, 2015
So @coreydu thinks PoC critiquing #RaceTogether is “ugly.” Only customers need to be feel uncomfortable re: race,huh? pic.twitter.com/fbG9Bhf9RP
— Queen Mikayla (@mikaylaesthetic) March 17, 2015
This is actually @coreydu when he decided to force everyone to talk about race at Starbucks pic.twitter.com/GOFAi85vGu
— Queen Mikayla (@mikaylaesthetic) March 17, 2015
Related: No, Starbucks, I don’t want a lecture on race with my latte; are you people insane?
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