Starbucks Faces Backlash Over #RaceTogether Initiative

Starbucks recently launched an initiative called “Race Together,” to inspire dialogue about race between Starbucks employees and customers. But the effort has come under intense criticism for being ill-conceived with even PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill tweeting, “If you start to engage me in a race conversation before I’ve had my morning coffee, it will not end well.” Where did Starbucks go wrong? And should corporations even play a role in the national discussion about race?

• More: Here’s What People Are Saying About Starbucks’ ‘Race Together’ Campaign (NPR)