Starbucks is hard at work trying to make things right after employees called the cops on two Black customers, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, as they waited to order until a friend arrived this past week. 

The racist incident, which led to the men’s arrest, was met with huge backlash -- leading Starbucks to announce it would close 8,000 stores at the end of May for “racial-bias education.” 

But why is an organization which has been accused of spying on Muslim American civil rights groups, and which refuses to endorse the Movement for Black Lives, helping to plan Starbucks’ anti-racist efforts? 

Critics are wondering why Starbucks asked the Anti-Defamation League to join groups like Demos and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in planning the day of education. While the ADL’s liberal credentials seem strong -- it’s pledge is to “fight anti-Semitism and all forms of hate” -- the organization is notorious for its anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian streak. For decades, the ADL has faced reports of conspiring with police to spy on and intimidate Arab American political groups. 

Recently, ADL has come under fire for facilitating programs between Israeli and U.S. police departments to exchange repressive policing tactics. The organization also faced criticism when it bizarrely chose to honor the St. Louis police department less than a year after the fatal shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson. 

Of course, Jewish social justice advocates should have a seat at the table when it comes to combating bigotry. But for years, ADL has smeared a wide range of progressives -- from Linda Sarsour to the Movement for Black Lives --  simply because of their solidarity with the Palestinian people. Which makes their standing invitation to Starbucks’ racial bias training so concerning.  

That’s why we’re joining our partners at Jewish Voice for Peace to call on Starbucks to drop the ADL from its racial bias program. If Starbucks wants to take on all forms of bigotry, it has to take a stand against ADL’s record of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian organizing. 

This isn’t the first time we’ve pushed Starbucks to do better. In 2016, after hearing from over 150,000 SumOfUs members to go deforestation-free, Starbucks committed to going deforestation and conflict palm oil free. With communities across the country enraged with Starbucks’ treatment of Black customers, we have the chance to hold them accountable. Join us and tell Starbucks to embrace anti-racism, not the ADL’s Islamophobia.