The New York Times published an article on March 18^th that presented an astonishing claim made by Starbucks.

According to the widely-known coffee house, the white American population holds nearly ninety percent of the nation’s wealth. This shockingly-high statistic was reason enough for Starbucks to launch their new campaign, “Race Together.”

A bold and highly-criticized move, the claim sparked national attention, and it definitely succeeded in stimulating discussion about what has since been deemed a rather sensitive issue. To make this even more shocking, recent reports have shown that the Hispanic American population holds only four percent of the nation’s wealth, along with African Americans, who hold less than three percent.

Starbucks employees were told to write the words “Race Together” on coffee cups in certain areas of the United States to provide awareness for the campaign, which was shut down after only a few days of feuding controversy.

It’s really a shame this campaign was so short-lived; the entire nature of the idea of equality should be supported, not bashed. While some may argue that Starbucks should have determined the “risks,” many believe that Starbucks should be applauded at their efforts in getting people to talk about such a heavy subject.

The problem is still present and remaining silent will not make the racism, stereotypes, or inequality in America disappear. Let what Starbucks has done act as a challenge–a challenge that pushes more businesses to take a stand and spread more information about this issue.