Whole Worker's Statement on George Floyd protests

NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS WRITTEN IN JUNE 2020 FOR WHOLEWORKER.ORG.

We would like to express our solidarity with all those who are protesting the murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and countless other black civilians.

Racism is woven into the fabric of American society. It touches everything, our workplace included. Many of this country’s institutions, law enforcement in particular, were designed to uphold white supremacy and perpetuate violence. 

We stand with our black coworkers, friends and family as they continue to fight for their lives. In doing so, we must acknowledge and confront racism in our own communities.

Whole Foods and Amazon have released public and internal statements expressing support for the protests. Let’s consider our company’s actions in recent years: 

• A Whole Foods store in Baltimore donated food or reduced lunch prices for the National Guard during the Freddie Gray protests in 2015. (Greensboro)

• Whole Foods has been the target of multiple racial discrimination lawsuits, mainly from black employees. (Philadelphia Magazine, Tallahassee)

• Amazon sells dangerous facial recognition technology to law enforcement agencies, including ICE. (PBS)

The above are just a few examples, pointing to a larger pattern of complicity. Amazon is, itself, becoming one of our country’s largest and most powerful institutions. We must reckon with Amazon’s role in a culture of systemic violence. We need better systems of accountability - in our stores, and at the highest levels of corporate leadership.

We will continue to fight for better working conditions, and we will continue to stand against injustice in all its forms.

Black lives matter.

In love and solidarity, 

Whole Worker