by Michael P Coleman
As we await justice for George Floyd, and distance ourselves from the catastrophe that was #BlackOutTuesday, I received an email from the CEO of Best Buy, Corie Barry. I’m overly sensitive to emails that are tied to or seem to arrive in conjunction with events or holidays, so I cringed as I opened it. Just a few sentences in, I transitioned from being a casual Best Buy shopper to being a rabid fan of the company.
Now, let me say right up front that I in no way will benefit financially from saying any of this. I don’t get kick-backs from click-thrus, and I’ve in no way been commissioned to write this.
I’m also not a regular Best Buy customer. Although some of my office equipment was purchased at Best Buy, I tend to buy most of my electronics directly from Apple. I only have a Best Buy loyalty card because one of my kids signed me up for one at the cash register one day, years ago. I believe they still have my name misspelled in their records…
But I’m a new Best Buy fan.
In a ten paragraph email, Barry won me over, hitting all of the right notes about our country’s current divide. “What do we do to change the cycle in which black men or women, with tragic frequency, are harmed by those who are supposed to protect them,” Barry wrote. “Or the gut-wrenching truth that to be a person of color in America is often to not feel fully safe, seen or heard.”
Not bad, especially for a white girl.
Barry goes on to apologize for a company that has fallen short of what it could be, before acknowledging that an apology isn’t enough and outlining clear, measurable steps that she and her Best Buy team will take, moving forward to “fight for equality and justice as a common cause.”
Click here to connect with freelance writer Michael P Coleman, click here to check out his blog, or follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @ColemanMichaelP
