Some Activists Say Ben & Jerry’s Stance On Racial Justice Doesn’t Go Far Enough

While some are praising Ben and Jerry’s corporate stance on racial justice, others are calling for the company to do more. (Amy Kolb Noyes/VPR File)

After the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and protests that followed calling for racial justice, many companies around the world put out statements that were intended to show support for racial equity. Many of those messages were criticized for being vague.

But there’s one company that’s earned praise for its response: Vermont’s own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which has a long history of speaking out on the liberal side of social and political issues. However, some local activists see the company falling short of their rhetoric.

Just days after George Floyd was killed, Ben & Jerry’s published a blog post titled “We must dismantle white supremacy.” That caught the attention of a lot of social media users, who were impressed by the company’s language, and its record.

“Did you know that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is so expensive because they hire people recently released from the prison system and pay them $16 or more an hour?” said TikTok user Delawesst in a video with over 4 million views. “They’re doin’ the damn thing.”

Read the rest of this story at VPR’s website.