Starbucks closed all of its stores on Tuesday to conduct nationwide racial sensitivity training for 8,000 employees after two black men were arrested for declining to buy coffee in Philadelphia.
The city of Philadelphia has since settled with the two men for a symbolic $1 and a promise to donate funds to an entrepreneur program for youth.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the rapper Common (pictured) provides the narration for a series of videos that will be played during the training.
Common is best known for his social raps, and his roles in film and television. He won a 2015 Oscar for a song he contributed to the film “Selma,” and has also won Emmy and Grammy awards.
During an appearance on ABC‘s Good Morning America on Tuesday, Common called for more accountability beyond today’s racial sensitivity training.
“We’ve got to hold Starbucks accountable and we hold our political officials accountable, any businesses that we support and we hold ourselves accountable. So that’s why I’m a part of this conversation,” he said.
The 46-year-old rapper said it is important to “have a black man standing up and saying what we need.”
“Starbucks was just a microcosm of how black people have been dehumanized and I wanted to be a part of that conversation,” he said.
Photo by DARA / BACKGRID
