Starbucks CEO holds his ground on gay marriage

Contents:

• STARBUCKS CEO HOLDS HIS GROUND ON GAY MARRIAGE
• PRI SOLIDARY: STARBUCKS LGBTQ+ PARTNERS STAND AGAST RACISMBY JENNIFER WARNICK • JUNE 23, 2020 • 11 M READSHARESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILPRI BEGAN AS A REBELLN – AN UPRISG AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND SYSTEMIC DISCRIMATN. THIS PRI MONTH, AS PROTTORS ALL OVER THE WORLD TAKE TO THE STREETS TO PROTT POLICE BTALY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM, THREE LGBTQ+ STARBUCKS PARTNERS SHARE THEIR THANKFULNS FOR ALLI AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NTUG TO FIGHT AGAST EQUALY.PRI BEGAN WH PEOPLE SAYG “ENOUGH.”A SPARK OF RISTANCE AT THE STONEWALL INN NEW YORK CY ONE SUMMER NIGHT 1969 HELPED IGNE THE ALREADY LONG-BURNG GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. RTS LED TO MARCH, MARCH TO PARAS, AND ALL OF LED TO MORE WISPREAD AWARENS, ACTIVISM AND CHANGE.THAT CHANGE LED UNTLS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, CLUDG STARBUCKS PARTNERS ASHER MARTEZ, SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE AND CATL PERR, TO LIVE PLETELY DIFFERENT LIV THAN THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE LED – LIV WHICH THEY WERE EE TO BE THEIR TT SELV.SCE PRI BEGAN ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS, HAS EVOLVED TO MEAN MANY THGS TO THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AND S ALLI. PRI N BE A PARTY – A JOYO CELEBRATN OF DIVIDUALY, EEDOM AND LOVE. PRI N BE A PARA – A RALLY OF VOIC AND LORFUL SIGNS PROMOTG CLN, RPECT AND EQUALY. AND SOMETIM, LIKE WAS THE BEGNG AND LIKE IS THIS YEAR, PRI N BE AN UPRISG – A SHOULR-TO-SHOULR MARCH AGAST JTICE AND DISCRIMATN.THIS JUNE, DURG PRI MONTH, A NEW NVERSATN ABOUT CHANGE HAS BEGUN TO UNFOLD. PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE NOW PROTTG STUTNAL RACISM AND POLICE BTALY. PRI REVELERS, MANY OF WHOM WERE FDG WAYS TO CELEBRATE PRI SI DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS TO MARCH FOR A DIFFERENT FIGHT – THE FIGHT AGAST RACIAL EQUALY.EARLY THIS MONTH, SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE, MANAGG DIRECTOR OF THE STARBUCKS RERVE ROASTERY CHIGO AND A BLACK MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, WAS SPIRED BY HER YOUNG LEARSHIP TEAM TO SHOW UP PERSON STEAD OF WATCHG THE PROTTS ON TELEVISN. THEY PASSED OUT WATER TO PROTTORS TOGETHER, AND MCKENZIE-LEE REFLECTED ON THE NVERGENCE OF THE IMPORTANT MOMENTS.“THE WORLD SE ME AS BLACK FIRST, AND THEN WE GET TO BEG A WOMAN AND THEN WE GET TO BEG LGBTQ. THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE AS A BLACK PERSON THIS UNTRY,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “THERE’S A SET OF ASSUMPTNS THAT E WH THAT – PAY MORE ATTENTN, DON’T MS UP, BE TWICE AS GOOD. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THGS I HEARD GROWG UP. NOW FEELS ALMOST LIKE THERE’S CLOSED PTNG ON THAT EXPERIENCE – LIKE THERE’S A WAY TO MAKE MORE ACCSIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE, A WAY TO OVERLAY MORE NTEXT AND TO VE MORE PEOPLE TO THE OUTRAGE, THE DISCSN, THE FIGHT – AND HOPEFULLY THE SOLUTN.”FOR ALL THE UNCERTATY AND STGGLE THE YEAR HAS BROUGHT, MCKENZIE-LEE SAID COVID-19 ALSO BROUGHT AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HELPED BRG REAL AWARENS AND CHANGE WH CLOSER REACH.“THGS SLOWED WAY DOWN, AND SUDNLY WE WERE TAKG A LONG LOOK AT WHAT REALLY MATTERS. THE PANMIC ASKED ALL THE QUTNS ABOUT OURSELV, OUR LIV, OUR RILIENCY AND OUR ROLE THE WORK AHEAD AMIDST THE FAST EVOLVG NEW NORMAL – FORCED TO REALLY THK ABOUT THGS. I THK ALSO ALLOWED TO SEE THE MURRS OF PEOPLE LIKE AHMD ARBERY AND GEE FLOYD A MORE LLECTIVE WAY. WHOUT OUR UAL DISTRACTNS, WE HAVE HAD MORE OF A CHANCE TO THK ABOUT HOW IMPACTS , AND ABOUT WHAT WE’RE GOG TO DO ABOUT , WHAT ROLE ARE WE REALLY GOG TO PLAY,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID.SHE SAID SHE’S SPIRED BY SEEG UNTLS PEOPLE G TOGETHER SOLIDARY AROUND THE WORLD.“THAT FILLS ME WH HOPE. AND, LIKE THE JOY THAT END UP BEG SUCH A BIG PART OF PRI, YOU SEE THE GLIMMERS – ‘BLACK LIV MATTER’ BEG PATED ONTO STREETS, CELEBRATORY AND PEACEFUL MOMENTS HAPPENG AMID THE OUTRAGE, NEW URAGEO NVERSATNS OPENG UP OR LASTG LONGER,” SHE SAID. “THIS WILL BE HARD, AND UNFORTABLE, AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGE, AND WE N MAKE SPACE FOR BETIFUL MOMENTS AS WELL.”THIS PRI, MCKENZIE-LEE AND TWO OTHER LGBTQ+ STARBUCKS PARTNERS SHARED THEIR STORI OF THE JOURNEYS THEY TOOK TO BEG THEMSELV, EXPRSED GRATU FOR THE ALLI WHO STOOD BY THEM ALONG THE WAY AND TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NTUG TO FIGHT FOR EQUALY FOR ALL.ASHER MARTEZ: LIKE-MD PEOPLE THE BT PART OF PRIASHER MARTEZ ME OUT TWICE – FIRST AS A LBIAN AND THEN, LATER, AS A TRANS MAN.“I WAS GOG THROUGH SOME STUFF. I WAS REALLY SAD AND FELY PRSED, BUT I DIDN’T EXACTLY KNOW WHY.”IT WAS A LONG ROAD, BEG WHO HE IS TODAY. A FIRST-GENERATN AMERIN GROWG UP NEW YORK CY AND THE SON OF PUERTO RIN IMMIGRANTS, HIS FAY WAS LOVG AND TIGHT-KN, BUT HE REMEMBERS ENTERG HIS TEENAGE YEARS A DARK CLOUD OF NFG AND UNFED ANGST.“I WAS GOG THROUGH SOME STUFF. I WAS REALLY SAD AND FELY PRSED, BUT I DIDN’T EXACTLY KNOW WHY,” SAID MARTEZ, A STORE MANAGER ST. AUGTE, FLA., AND SIX-MONTH STARBUCKS PARTNER.THEN HE MET KELLEYANN ROYCE, A UNSELOR AT IS-123 MIDDLE SCHOOL THE SOUTH BRONX.“SHE KNEW. SHE FELY NAILED THAT I WAS THIS CLOSETED LTLE GAY KID WHO NEED SOME GUIDANCE,” MARTEZ SAID. “YOU DON’T ALWAYS SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE, YOU JT KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW.”“ROYCE,” AS THE KIDS AFFECTNATELY LL HER, WASN’T OVERT, BUT REPEATEDLY REMD HER STUNTS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THG YOU N BE IS YOURSELF, AND THAT LOVE IS LOVE.“ANOTHER THG SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME IS THAT THE ONE THG YOU SHOULD ALWAYS RPECT IS TIME, BEE TIME IS THE ONE THG YOU N NEVER GET BACK. I HOLD THAT STILL TO BE TE,” MARTEZ SAID. “SHARG WHO I AM WH PEOPLE, AND BEG ABLE TO START DOG THAT SO YOUNG, WAS BEE I KNEW I WOULD NEVER GET THAT TIME BACK, SO WHY SHOULD I HI AND LIVE THE SHADOWS AND BE SAD IF I DIDN’T HAVE TO?”AS MIDDLE SCHOOL ME TO A CLOSE, MARTEZ STARTED TO MAKE SOME MOV, FIRST QUIETLY, AND THEN OUT LOUD. HE APPLIED TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AT MANHATTAN VILLAGE AMY, THOUGH HIS PARENTS WERE PERPLEXED AS TO WHY HE’D CHOSEN A SCHOOL 45 MUT BY TRA OM THE BRONX (THEY WOULD LATER LEARN WAS BEE THE SCHOOL IS LOTED NEW YORK CY’S ULTRA-GAY-IENDLY CHELSEA NEIGHBORHOOD).AT 16, MARTEZ ME OUT AS A LBIAN – FIRST TO IENDS AT SCHOOL, WHERE WAS A “NON-EVENT.” HOME WAS A DIFFERENT MATTER. MARTEZ WAS AAID G OUT WOULD STIR CULTURAL AND RELIG TENSNS, PARTICULARLY OM A FATHER WHO STUDIED TO BE A PRIT WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER BEFORE BEG A TAEKWONDO STCTOR. HIS PARENTS WERE SURPRISGLY SUPPORTIVE. FOUR YEARS LATER, WH THE ADDN OF THE “LANGUAGE AND STRENGTH” TO MORE FULLY UNRSTAND AND EXPLA HIMSELF, HE ME OUT TO THEM AGA, THIS TIME AS A TRANSGENR MAN.“FIRST YOU HAVE A GAY KID, AND THEN YOUR GIRL TURNS TO YOUR SON? I THOUGHT I WAS G OUT TO A RELIG AND HOMOPHOBIC DAD. BUT HE SURPRISED ME. HE’S EVOLVED AS A PERSON, AND AS AN ALLY,” MARTEZ SAID. “MY STORY ISN’T ONE RIDDLED WH SADNS, LONELS AND STGGLE. MY STORY DON’T HAPPEN ENOUGH.”IN ADDN TO BEG EMBRACED BY HIS FAY AND IENDS, MARTEZ SAID HE FEELS SUPPORTED AT WORK TOO."(I WORK FOR STARBUCKS), BEE I AM A PERSON OF LOR AND I FEEL CLUD. AS A TRANS PARTNER I FEEL SEEN,” HE SAID, NOTG STARBUCKS PREHENSIVE HEALTH BENEFS FOR TRANSGENR PARTNERS. "THE STARBUCKS MISSN AND VALU ARE SO ALIGNED WH WHO I AM. I’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY MY SHORT TIME HERE."EACH YEAR SCE MOVG TO FLORIDA, MARTEZ AND HIS LONGTIME GIRLIEND HAVE RETURNED TO NEW YORK CY FOR THE PRI PARA AND FTIVAL. THEY WON’T BE MAKG THE TRIP THIS YEAR; FOR THE FIRST TIME HALF A CENTURY, THE NEW YORK CY PRI PARA IS NCELED. STILL, MARTEZ SAID, THERE IS PLENTY TO CELEBRATE.“TO SOME PEOPLE, MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG THG – LIKE, ’S JT A PARA – BUT ’S A LTLE SAD, TO BE HONT. I LIKE FEELG LIKE I N HOLD HANDS, AND THAT ’S OK TO WEAR MY RABOW YANKEE HAT. I LIKE TO TAKE A FOLDG CHAIR, AND S DOWN AND JT … BE,” MARTEZ SAID. “I’M NOT A PARTY PERSON, I JT WANT TO BE AROUND LIKE-MD PEOPLE. FOR ME, THAT’S THE BT WAY TO CELEBRATE PRI.”STILL, HE SAID, THERE’S PLENTY TO BE THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR.“THIS PRI, AND FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, I WILL CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT I’M ABLE TO BE VISIBLE. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUR MUNI WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BE VISIBLE – ’S JT NOT SAFE. BEG VISIBLE IS A PRIVILEGE,” MARTEZ SAID. “I WILL BE AWE THAT I WORK FOR A PANY WHERE I’M CELEBRATED AS A HISPANIC PERSON, AND AS A TRANS PERSON AND AS A QUEER PERSON AND HONTLY, JT AS A PERSON. I WILL CELEBRATE BEG ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY WH PEOPLE. AND I WILL CELEBRATE THAT I AM PROUD, AND ABLE TO BE PROUD, TO BE A HISPANIC QUEER TRANSGENR MAN OM THE SOUTH BRONX.”SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE: ‘WE HAVE TO BE EXACTLY WHO WE ARE’WHEN SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE WAS YOUNGER, HER MOTHER, SHARON, ATTEND A PARTY WHERE THE ENTERTAMENT WAS A PSYCHIC. WHEN WAS HER TURN TO S WH THE WOMAN, THE PSYCHIC TOLD SHNA HER DGHTER WOULD HAVE A STAR OVER HER HEAD.“THE WORLD SE ME AS BLACK FIRST, AND THEN WE GET TO BEG A WOMAN AND THEN WE GET TO BEG LGBTQ. THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE AS A BLACK PERSON THIS UNTRY.”“MY MOM WOULD TELL ME THIS STORY EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO,” SAID MCKENZIE-LEE. “I THK THE STAR, TO MY MOM, THE STAR PROBABLY ME TO REPRENT ME FOLLOWG MY JOURNEY TO BE WHO I AM.”IN NOVEMBER, THE DAY BEFORE THE STARBUCKS RERVE ROASTERY CHIGO OPENED S DOORS, MCKENZIE-LEE POSED FOR PICTUR NEXT TO HER MOTHER ON THE BUILDG’S AIRY TOP FLOOR. BOTH WOMEN BEAMED – THE MOTHER, WHO WAS WATCHG HER ONLY CHILD LEAD THE OPENG OF THE LARGT STARBUCKS THE WORLD, AND THE DGHTER, WHO WAS ABLE TO DO SO WHOUT HIDG ANY PART OF WHO SHE IS. HOVERG ABOVE BOTH OF THEM? A LARGE, NEON STAR. Y, ’S PART OF THE ROASTERY LOGO, BUT STILL … WHOA, RIGHT?MCKENZIE-LEE LGHED. “WE BOTH LOOKED UP AND I REMD HER OF THAT STORY. IT’S ALMOST LIKE RERCEMENT THAT I HAD MA THE RIGHT CISNS TO GET TO THAT MOMENT. EVERYTHG KD OF ME FULL CIRCLE.”SHE GREW UP CCNATI, PART OF A TIGHTKN, SPIRUAL FAY. HER PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG, THOUGH THEY STAYED ON POSIVE TERMS, AND MCKENZIE-LEE AND HER MOTHER MOVED WH HER GRANDMOTHER.“THE FLUENCE OF MY MOM’S MOM PARTICULAR – SHE WAS BORN 1919, WIDOWED EARLY, AND HAD TWO KIDS TO RAISE AS A SGLE, BLACK WOMAN. SHE JT DID , AND MA LOOK EASY, AND ROOTED ALL OF CHURCH AND SPIRUALY. AS A CHILD, I GREW UP KNOWG I ULD GO OUT BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAD TO HAVE MY BUTT A CHAIR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL,” SAID MCKENZIE-LEE, 46. “SHE TGHT ME THAT WE’RE ALL PLUGGED TO SOMETHG BIGGER.”AS A TEENAGER, MCKENZIE-LEE GRAPPLED WH THE BELIEFS OF SOME THE RELIG MUNY THAT GAY PEOPLE SHOULD FACE REPERCSNS OR PUNISHMENT FOR BEG WHO THEY ARE. IF YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO LOVE AND RE FOR EVERYBODY, SHE WONRED, DON’T THAT CLU GAY PEOPLE? SHE HAD HER FIRST GIRLIEND HIGH SCHOOL – A BASKETBALL TEAMMATE.“IT WAS A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP, BUT ALSO VERY HIDN. I WENT TO PROM AND HOMEG WH MALE BASKETBALL IENDS. EVEN FOR MYSELF, I WAS TRYG TO UNRSTAND – IS THIS WHO I REALLY AM? ON THE SURFACE, THGS WERE GOOD – I GOT GOOD GRAS. I PLAYED SPORTS. BUT WAS A CHALLENGG TIME,” SHE SAID. “SEEKG THE APPROVAL OF MY GRANDMOTHER, ALL OF THAT HAD ME VERG UP WHO I WAS FOR SO LONG.”AT 20, SHE FALLY GOT THE URAGE TO E OUT TO HER GRANDMOTHER.“I HAD BUILT THIS UP FOR MONTHS. IN SENCE, I WAS PREPARG TO LOSE MY GRANDMOTHER. THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “SHE CERTALY HAD A FEW THGS TO SAY. BUT ULTIMATELY, SHE JT HUGGED ME. SHE LIVED TO BE 94. FOR THE RT OF HER LIFE, WE WERE ABLE TO OPERATE NOT JT LOVE, BUT TRANSPARENCY.”COMG OUT WAS HARD FOR HER MOTHER, TOO.“I KNOW SHE EXPERIENCED SOME GRIEF, THAT WAS NOT A TRADNAL PATH HER CHILD WAS GOG TO FOLLOW. SHE THOUGHT I WOULD GET HURT AND PUNISHED AND WOULDN’T ADVANCE A REER. BUT SHE WAS ALSO THE ONE WHO GAVE ME THE FOUNDATN TO KNOW I SHOULD NTUE TO TRY TO BE WHO I AM,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “WE HAVE TO BE EXACTLY WHO WE ARE. THERE’S SO MUCH POWER THAT. FEAR IS SOMETHG THAT WE SOMEHOW THK WILL CHANGE OR SHIFT OR GO AWAY AS WE GET OLR, BUT DON’T. WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, WE HAVE TO JT DO SRED. DON’T FD YOURSELF LOSG TIME.”MCKENZIE-LEE AND HER WIFE, DENISE, HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 15 YEARS AND MARRIED FOR FIVE. THEY’VE BEEN TO PRI CELEBRATNS TORONTO, MNEAPOLIS, PORTLAND AND CHIGO. THOUGH SHE WILL MISS MARCHG CHIGO’S PARA WH STARBUCKS PARTNERS THIS YEAR, SHE BELIEV WE N LOOK FOR NEW EXPERIENC, ON THAT ULD END UP BEG JT AS MEANGFUL AS THE ON WE’RE MISSG THIS YEAR.“WE N CELEBRATE THE OPPORTUNI WE HAVE TO REIMAGE OURSELV. WE N CELEBRATE THE WAYS WE STILL HAVE TO NNECT. WE N CELEBRATE KDNS – I BELIEVE KDNS IS OL. THERE’S AN ALICE WALKER QUOTE I LOVE: ‘KEEP MD ALWAYS THE PRENT YOU ARE NSTCTG. IT SHOULD BE THE FUTURE YOU WANT.’ NOW, MORE THAN EVER, THAT’S ON MY MD,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS? LET’S MAKE SURE ’S SURROUND WH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT . LET’S MAKE SURE ’S HAVG TAKEN RE OF OURSELV AND EACH OTHER.”CATL PERR: ‘COMMUNY N MEAN LOTS OF THGS’CATL PERR GREW UP AN IMMERSIVE RELIG MUNY CALIFORNIA. HE ATTEND A CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL AND STUDIED THEOLOGY AT A BIBLE LLEGE.“MY GROWG UP AND G OUT AND BEG A WHOLE PERSON AND STARBUCKS, THEY’RE ALL TIED TOGETHER. THAT NFINCE GOT BUILT HERE."“IT WAS THE KD OF IMMERSIVE THAT’S NOT JT YOUR CHURCH, BUT YOUR WHOLE WORLD – YOUR SOCIAL LIFE, YOUR TN, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, JT … INTY,” PERR SAID. “AND THE PARTICULAR VE OF CHRISTIANY I GREW UP , BEG GAY WAS NSIRED A S. THERE WAS A TON OF SHAME ATTACHED TO . FOR ME, WAS REALLY REPRSIVE TO FEEL MY ATTRACTNS WERE BAD, THE THGS I N’T NTROL, AS WAS MY GRAVATN TOWARD CERTA PEOPLE AND RELATNSHIPS, AND TO REALIZE I’D HAVE TO EHER KD OF IGNORE AS I GREW OLR, OR ACKNOWLEDGE BUT NEVER BE FORTABLE ACTG ON , AND TO WATCH IENDS HAVG THE FULL AND OPEN RELATNSHIPS AND FEELG THOSE WERE ROADS I ULD NEVER ACCS.”PERR, 33,  PARTMENTALIZED HIS SEXUALY, AND SAID HE STARTED THKG OF HIMSELF AS PIEC OF A PERSON RATHER THAN A WHOLE – CLUDG SOME PIEC THAT DIDN’T QUE F TOGETHER, AND OTHERS THAT FELT BROKEN ALTOGETHER.ONE NIGHT SHORTLY AFTER LLEGE, HE WAS TALKG WH HIS ROOMMATE, NATHAN, THEIR NEW APARTMENT. THERE WAS NO FURNURE YET – THEY’D JT MOVED – SO THEY WERE STG ON THE LIVG ROOM FLOOR, TALKG AND DRKG WE. CATL CID TO E OUT TO HIM. GIVEN THEIR SIAR UPBRGG, HIS IEND AND ROOMMATE ULD HAVE REACTED ANY NUMBER OF WAYS.“WE TALKED ABOUT HOW I ALWAYS FELT PARTMENTALIZED, AND HOW I ULD RENCILE MY FAH AND MY SEXUALY AND E TO MY OWN AS A WHOLE PERSON. WE DRANK WE AND WE CRIED OUT. IT WAS BIG. NATHAN WAS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT MY G OUT EXPERIENCE AND TO MY LONG JOURNEY TO FEELG PLETE,” PERR SAID. “WHEN I LOOK BACK, I HAD A LOT OF PERFECTLY LEGIMATE REASONS TO BE SRED AND HANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOG THROUGH. BUT WHEN YOU START TO CRACK THAT, YOU WILL FD THERE ARE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO GET , WHO WILL LOVE YOU REGARDLS. FD THOSE PEOPLE. TALK TO THEM. AND REGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOG TO BE ON A JOURNEY, TOO, AND THAT YOU N HELP RM THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, BOTH NOW AND FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.”PERR WAS PURSUG A TEACHG GREE WHEN HE CID TO TAKE A SEMTER OFF AND APPLY FOR A JOB AT STARBUCKS, MALY FOR THE HEALTH SURANCE. NOW, 14 YEARS LATER, PERR IS A DISTRICT MANAGER OF 18 LICENSED STARBUCKS STOR LOS ANGEL.LIKE HIS NVERSATNS WH NATHAN, STARBUCKS WOULD ALSO PROVE STMENTAL TO PERR FDG THE URAGE TO E ALL THE WAY OUT. SHORTLY AFTER HE STARTED HIS JOB, HE MENTNED SOMEONE HE WAS SEEG TO A -WORKER. HE WAS REFUL NOT TO E PRONOUNS – BUT WHEN THEY ASKED IF HE WAS DATG A MALE OR FEMALE, HE CHOSE TO ANSWER HONTLY. ““HER REACTN WAS KD OF ‘OL, WHATEVER.’ IT WAS ALMOST BLASé, WHICH WAS POWERFUL. THAT HAS STUCK WH ME,” HE SAID. “MY GROWG UP AND G OUT AND BEG A WHOLE PERSON AND STARBUCKS, THEY’RE ALL TIED TOGETHER. THAT NFINCE GOT BUILT HERE. AT STARBUCKS I GOT TO SEE ADULTS WHO WERE SUCCSFUL THEIR REERS AND SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS THAT WERE LOVG AND RG, AND THEY WERE THE FIRST ON I EVER SAW. SO MANY PEOPLE AT STARBUCKS WILL NOT ONLY ACCEPT YOU, BUT CHEER FOR YOU AND BE YOUR RNER AND WANT TO SEE YOU BE SUCCSFUL.”PERR TYPILLY CELEBRAT PRI OUTSI ENJOYG THE BETIFUL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEATHER, BARBECUG WH IENDS AND ATTENDG THE PARA. THIS YEAR, MORE THAN EVER, HE’S LOOKG FOR OPPORTUNI TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND MUNI STILL FIGHTG FOR EQUALY.“WHEN I THK ABOUT THE ARC OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, PRI MEANS A LOT OF THGS – A CELEBRATN, A VICTORY MARCH, A RISTANCE RALLY, A LL TO BE BETTER AND MORE CLIVE AND MORE EQUABLE,” PERR SAID. “PRI IS ALSO MUNY, AND MUNY N MEAN LOTS OF THGS, TOO. IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANMIC, THAT MUNY WILL LOOK REALLY DIFFERENT THAN DID A FEW MONTHS AGO – I MEAN, THERE ARE ZOOM NIGHT CLUBS WH PEOPLE DANCG AROUND THEIR LIVG ROOMS. AND THERE ARE ALL THE GLIMPS OF THE BETTER SIS OF HUMANY, AND HOW WE ARE FIGURG THGS OUT TOGETHER AS THGS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY WILD. FOR ME, AS AN LGBTQ MUNY, WE ALSO HAVE A RPONSIBILY TO KEEP FIGHTG FOR EQUALY PLAC AND MUNI AND FOR PEOPLE FOR WHOM ’S NOT HAPPENG. THERE’S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO THERE. PRI MARKS THAT PROGRS, NTUALLY.”SHARE THIS ARTICLESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILREAD MORESTARBUCKS PARTNERS CELEBRATE PRI AT EVENTS ACROSS U.S.

STARBUCKS CEO HOLDS HIS GROUND ON GAY MARRIAGE

ConclnThe FAQ SectnStarbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s Gran support for gay marriage.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s Gran support for gay marriage. Supreme Court to challenge the Defense of Marriage Act, as a way of showg his gran support for gay marriage. Schultz replied that supportg gay marriage was not an enomic cisn and if Strobhar thought he uld get a higher return elsewhere he uld sell his shar Starbucks.

PRI SOLIDARY: STARBUCKS LGBTQ+ PARTNERS STAND AGAST RACISMBY JENNIFER WARNICK • JUNE 23, 2020 • 11 M READSHARESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILPRI BEGAN AS A REBELLN – AN UPRISG AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND SYSTEMIC DISCRIMATN. THIS PRI MONTH, AS PROTTORS ALL OVER THE WORLD TAKE TO THE STREETS TO PROTT POLICE BTALY AND SYSTEMIC RACISM, THREE LGBTQ+ STARBUCKS PARTNERS SHARE THEIR THANKFULNS FOR ALLI AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NTUG TO FIGHT AGAST EQUALY.PRI BEGAN WH PEOPLE SAYG “ENOUGH.”A SPARK OF RISTANCE AT THE STONEWALL INN NEW YORK CY ONE SUMMER NIGHT 1969 HELPED IGNE THE ALREADY LONG-BURNG GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. RTS LED TO MARCH, MARCH TO PARAS, AND ALL OF LED TO MORE WISPREAD AWARENS, ACTIVISM AND CHANGE.THAT CHANGE LED UNTLS LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, CLUDG STARBUCKS PARTNERS ASHER MARTEZ, SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE AND CATL PERR, TO LIVE PLETELY DIFFERENT LIV THAN THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE LED – LIV WHICH THEY WERE EE TO BE THEIR TT SELV.SCE PRI BEGAN ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RTS, HAS EVOLVED TO MEAN MANY THGS TO THE LGBTQ+ MUNY AND S ALLI. PRI N BE A PARTY – A JOYO CELEBRATN OF DIVIDUALY, EEDOM AND LOVE. PRI N BE A PARA – A RALLY OF VOIC AND LORFUL SIGNS PROMOTG CLN, RPECT AND EQUALY. AND SOMETIM, LIKE WAS THE BEGNG AND LIKE IS THIS YEAR, PRI N BE AN UPRISG – A SHOULR-TO-SHOULR MARCH AGAST JTICE AND DISCRIMATN.THIS JUNE, DURG PRI MONTH, A NEW NVERSATN ABOUT CHANGE HAS BEGUN TO UNFOLD. PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE NOW PROTTG STUTNAL RACISM AND POLICE BTALY. PRI REVELERS, MANY OF WHOM WERE FDG WAYS TO CELEBRATE PRI SI DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANMIC, HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS TO MARCH FOR A DIFFERENT FIGHT – THE FIGHT AGAST RACIAL EQUALY.EARLY THIS MONTH, SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE, MANAGG DIRECTOR OF THE STARBUCKS RERVE ROASTERY CHIGO AND A BLACK MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ+ MUNY, WAS SPIRED BY HER YOUNG LEARSHIP TEAM TO SHOW UP PERSON STEAD OF WATCHG THE PROTTS ON TELEVISN. THEY PASSED OUT WATER TO PROTTORS TOGETHER, AND MCKENZIE-LEE REFLECTED ON THE NVERGENCE OF THE IMPORTANT MOMENTS.“THE WORLD SE ME AS BLACK FIRST, AND THEN WE GET TO BEG A WOMAN AND THEN WE GET TO BEG LGBTQ. THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE AS A BLACK PERSON THIS UNTRY,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “THERE’S A SET OF ASSUMPTNS THAT E WH THAT – PAY MORE ATTENTN, DON’T MS UP, BE TWICE AS GOOD. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THGS I HEARD GROWG UP. NOW FEELS ALMOST LIKE THERE’S CLOSED PTNG ON THAT EXPERIENCE – LIKE THERE’S A WAY TO MAKE MORE ACCSIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE, A WAY TO OVERLAY MORE NTEXT AND TO VE MORE PEOPLE TO THE OUTRAGE, THE DISCSN, THE FIGHT – AND HOPEFULLY THE SOLUTN.”FOR ALL THE UNCERTATY AND STGGLE THE YEAR HAS BROUGHT, MCKENZIE-LEE SAID COVID-19 ALSO BROUGHT AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HELPED BRG REAL AWARENS AND CHANGE WH CLOSER REACH.“THGS SLOWED WAY DOWN, AND SUDNLY WE WERE TAKG A LONG LOOK AT WHAT REALLY MATTERS. THE PANMIC ASKED ALL THE QUTNS ABOUT OURSELV, OUR LIV, OUR RILIENCY AND OUR ROLE THE WORK AHEAD AMIDST THE FAST EVOLVG NEW NORMAL – FORCED TO REALLY THK ABOUT THGS. I THK ALSO ALLOWED TO SEE THE MURRS OF PEOPLE LIKE AHMD ARBERY AND GEE FLOYD A MORE LLECTIVE WAY. WHOUT OUR UAL DISTRACTNS, WE HAVE HAD MORE OF A CHANCE TO THK ABOUT HOW IMPACTS , AND ABOUT WHAT WE’RE GOG TO DO ABOUT , WHAT ROLE ARE WE REALLY GOG TO PLAY,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID.SHE SAID SHE’S SPIRED BY SEEG UNTLS PEOPLE G TOGETHER SOLIDARY AROUND THE WORLD.“THAT FILLS ME WH HOPE. AND, LIKE THE JOY THAT END UP BEG SUCH A BIG PART OF PRI, YOU SEE THE GLIMMERS – ‘BLACK LIV MATTER’ BEG PATED ONTO STREETS, CELEBRATORY AND PEACEFUL MOMENTS HAPPENG AMID THE OUTRAGE, NEW URAGEO NVERSATNS OPENG UP OR LASTG LONGER,” SHE SAID. “THIS WILL BE HARD, AND UNFORTABLE, AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE SYSTEMIC CHANGE, AND WE N MAKE SPACE FOR BETIFUL MOMENTS AS WELL.”THIS PRI, MCKENZIE-LEE AND TWO OTHER LGBTQ+ STARBUCKS PARTNERS SHARED THEIR STORI OF THE JOURNEYS THEY TOOK TO BEG THEMSELV, EXPRSED GRATU FOR THE ALLI WHO STOOD BY THEM ALONG THE WAY AND TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NTUG TO FIGHT FOR EQUALY FOR ALL.ASHER MARTEZ: LIKE-MD PEOPLE THE BT PART OF PRIASHER MARTEZ ME OUT TWICE – FIRST AS A LBIAN AND THEN, LATER, AS A TRANS MAN.“I WAS GOG THROUGH SOME STUFF. I WAS REALLY SAD AND FELY PRSED, BUT I DIDN’T EXACTLY KNOW WHY.”IT WAS A LONG ROAD, BEG WHO HE IS TODAY. A FIRST-GENERATN AMERIN GROWG UP NEW YORK CY AND THE SON OF PUERTO RIN IMMIGRANTS, HIS FAY WAS LOVG AND TIGHT-KN, BUT HE REMEMBERS ENTERG HIS TEENAGE YEARS A DARK CLOUD OF NFG AND UNFED ANGST.“I WAS GOG THROUGH SOME STUFF. I WAS REALLY SAD AND FELY PRSED, BUT I DIDN’T EXACTLY KNOW WHY,” SAID MARTEZ, A STORE MANAGER ST. AUGTE, FLA., AND SIX-MONTH STARBUCKS PARTNER.THEN HE MET KELLEYANN ROYCE, A UNSELOR AT IS-123 MIDDLE SCHOOL THE SOUTH BRONX.“SHE KNEW. SHE FELY NAILED THAT I WAS THIS CLOSETED LTLE GAY KID WHO NEED SOME GUIDANCE,” MARTEZ SAID. “YOU DON’T ALWAYS SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE, YOU JT KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW.”“ROYCE,” AS THE KIDS AFFECTNATELY LL HER, WASN’T OVERT, BUT REPEATEDLY REMD HER STUNTS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THG YOU N BE IS YOURSELF, AND THAT LOVE IS LOVE.“ANOTHER THG SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME IS THAT THE ONE THG YOU SHOULD ALWAYS RPECT IS TIME, BEE TIME IS THE ONE THG YOU N NEVER GET BACK. I HOLD THAT STILL TO BE TE,” MARTEZ SAID. “SHARG WHO I AM WH PEOPLE, AND BEG ABLE TO START DOG THAT SO YOUNG, WAS BEE I KNEW I WOULD NEVER GET THAT TIME BACK, SO WHY SHOULD I HI AND LIVE THE SHADOWS AND BE SAD IF I DIDN’T HAVE TO?”AS MIDDLE SCHOOL ME TO A CLOSE, MARTEZ STARTED TO MAKE SOME MOV, FIRST QUIETLY, AND THEN OUT LOUD. HE APPLIED TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AT MANHATTAN VILLAGE AMY, THOUGH HIS PARENTS WERE PERPLEXED AS TO WHY HE’D CHOSEN A SCHOOL 45 MUT BY TRA OM THE BRONX (THEY WOULD LATER LEARN WAS BEE THE SCHOOL IS LOTED NEW YORK CY’S ULTRA-GAY-IENDLY CHELSEA NEIGHBORHOOD).AT 16, MARTEZ ME OUT AS A LBIAN – FIRST TO IENDS AT SCHOOL, WHERE WAS A “NON-EVENT.” HOME WAS A DIFFERENT MATTER. MARTEZ WAS AAID G OUT WOULD STIR CULTURAL AND RELIG TENSNS, PARTICULARLY OM A FATHER WHO STUDIED TO BE A PRIT WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER BEFORE BEG A TAEKWONDO STCTOR. HIS PARENTS WERE SURPRISGLY SUPPORTIVE. FOUR YEARS LATER, WH THE ADDN OF THE “LANGUAGE AND STRENGTH” TO MORE FULLY UNRSTAND AND EXPLA HIMSELF, HE ME OUT TO THEM AGA, THIS TIME AS A TRANSGENR MAN.“FIRST YOU HAVE A GAY KID, AND THEN YOUR GIRL TURNS TO YOUR SON? I THOUGHT I WAS G OUT TO A RELIG AND HOMOPHOBIC DAD. BUT HE SURPRISED ME. HE’S EVOLVED AS A PERSON, AND AS AN ALLY,” MARTEZ SAID. “MY STORY ISN’T ONE RIDDLED WH SADNS, LONELS AND STGGLE. MY STORY DON’T HAPPEN ENOUGH.”IN ADDN TO BEG EMBRACED BY HIS FAY AND IENDS, MARTEZ SAID HE FEELS SUPPORTED AT WORK TOO."(I WORK FOR STARBUCKS), BEE I AM A PERSON OF LOR AND I FEEL CLUD. AS A TRANS PARTNER I FEEL SEEN,” HE SAID, NOTG STARBUCKS PREHENSIVE HEALTH BENEFS FOR TRANSGENR PARTNERS. "THE STARBUCKS MISSN AND VALU ARE SO ALIGNED WH WHO I AM. I’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY MY SHORT TIME HERE."EACH YEAR SCE MOVG TO FLORIDA, MARTEZ AND HIS LONGTIME GIRLIEND HAVE RETURNED TO NEW YORK CY FOR THE PRI PARA AND FTIVAL. THEY WON’T BE MAKG THE TRIP THIS YEAR; FOR THE FIRST TIME HALF A CENTURY, THE NEW YORK CY PRI PARA IS NCELED. STILL, MARTEZ SAID, THERE IS PLENTY TO CELEBRATE.“TO SOME PEOPLE, MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG THG – LIKE, ’S JT A PARA – BUT ’S A LTLE SAD, TO BE HONT. I LIKE FEELG LIKE I N HOLD HANDS, AND THAT ’S OK TO WEAR MY RABOW YANKEE HAT. I LIKE TO TAKE A FOLDG CHAIR, AND S DOWN AND JT … BE,” MARTEZ SAID. “I’M NOT A PARTY PERSON, I JT WANT TO BE AROUND LIKE-MD PEOPLE. FOR ME, THAT’S THE BT WAY TO CELEBRATE PRI.”STILL, HE SAID, THERE’S PLENTY TO BE THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR.“THIS PRI, AND FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE, I WILL CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT I’M ABLE TO BE VISIBLE. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUR MUNI WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BE VISIBLE – ’S JT NOT SAFE. BEG VISIBLE IS A PRIVILEGE,” MARTEZ SAID. “I WILL BE AWE THAT I WORK FOR A PANY WHERE I’M CELEBRATED AS A HISPANIC PERSON, AND AS A TRANS PERSON AND AS A QUEER PERSON AND HONTLY, JT AS A PERSON. I WILL CELEBRATE BEG ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY WH PEOPLE. AND I WILL CELEBRATE THAT I AM PROUD, AND ABLE TO BE PROUD, TO BE A HISPANIC QUEER TRANSGENR MAN OM THE SOUTH BRONX.”SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE: ‘WE HAVE TO BE EXACTLY WHO WE ARE’WHEN SHNA MCKENZIE-LEE WAS YOUNGER, HER MOTHER, SHARON, ATTEND A PARTY WHERE THE ENTERTAMENT WAS A PSYCHIC. WHEN WAS HER TURN TO S WH THE WOMAN, THE PSYCHIC TOLD SHNA HER DGHTER WOULD HAVE A STAR OVER HER HEAD.“THE WORLD SE ME AS BLACK FIRST, AND THEN WE GET TO BEG A WOMAN AND THEN WE GET TO BEG LGBTQ. THIS HAS BEEN MY LIFE AS A BLACK PERSON THIS UNTRY.”“MY MOM WOULD TELL ME THIS STORY EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO,” SAID MCKENZIE-LEE. “I THK THE STAR, TO MY MOM, THE STAR PROBABLY ME TO REPRENT ME FOLLOWG MY JOURNEY TO BE WHO I AM.”IN NOVEMBER, THE DAY BEFORE THE STARBUCKS RERVE ROASTERY CHIGO OPENED S DOORS, MCKENZIE-LEE POSED FOR PICTUR NEXT TO HER MOTHER ON THE BUILDG’S AIRY TOP FLOOR. BOTH WOMEN BEAMED – THE MOTHER, WHO WAS WATCHG HER ONLY CHILD LEAD THE OPENG OF THE LARGT STARBUCKS THE WORLD, AND THE DGHTER, WHO WAS ABLE TO DO SO WHOUT HIDG ANY PART OF WHO SHE IS. HOVERG ABOVE BOTH OF THEM? A LARGE, NEON STAR. Y, ’S PART OF THE ROASTERY LOGO, BUT STILL … WHOA, RIGHT?MCKENZIE-LEE LGHED. “WE BOTH LOOKED UP AND I REMD HER OF THAT STORY. IT’S ALMOST LIKE RERCEMENT THAT I HAD MA THE RIGHT CISNS TO GET TO THAT MOMENT. EVERYTHG KD OF ME FULL CIRCLE.”SHE GREW UP CCNATI, PART OF A TIGHTKN, SPIRUAL FAY. HER PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG, THOUGH THEY STAYED ON POSIVE TERMS, AND MCKENZIE-LEE AND HER MOTHER MOVED WH HER GRANDMOTHER.“THE FLUENCE OF MY MOM’S MOM PARTICULAR – SHE WAS BORN 1919, WIDOWED EARLY, AND HAD TWO KIDS TO RAISE AS A SGLE, BLACK WOMAN. SHE JT DID , AND MA LOOK EASY, AND ROOTED ALL OF CHURCH AND SPIRUALY. AS A CHILD, I GREW UP KNOWG I ULD GO OUT BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAD TO HAVE MY BUTT A CHAIR FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL,” SAID MCKENZIE-LEE, 46. “SHE TGHT ME THAT WE’RE ALL PLUGGED TO SOMETHG BIGGER.”AS A TEENAGER, MCKENZIE-LEE GRAPPLED WH THE BELIEFS OF SOME THE RELIG MUNY THAT GAY PEOPLE SHOULD FACE REPERCSNS OR PUNISHMENT FOR BEG WHO THEY ARE. IF YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO LOVE AND RE FOR EVERYBODY, SHE WONRED, DON’T THAT CLU GAY PEOPLE? SHE HAD HER FIRST GIRLIEND HIGH SCHOOL – A BASKETBALL TEAMMATE.“IT WAS A LONG-TERM RELATNSHIP, BUT ALSO VERY HIDN. I WENT TO PROM AND HOMEG WH MALE BASKETBALL IENDS. EVEN FOR MYSELF, I WAS TRYG TO UNRSTAND – IS THIS WHO I REALLY AM? ON THE SURFACE, THGS WERE GOOD – I GOT GOOD GRAS. I PLAYED SPORTS. BUT WAS A CHALLENGG TIME,” SHE SAID. “SEEKG THE APPROVAL OF MY GRANDMOTHER, ALL OF THAT HAD ME VERG UP WHO I WAS FOR SO LONG.”AT 20, SHE FALLY GOT THE URAGE TO E OUT TO HER GRANDMOTHER.“I HAD BUILT THIS UP FOR MONTHS. IN SENCE, I WAS PREPARG TO LOSE MY GRANDMOTHER. THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “SHE CERTALY HAD A FEW THGS TO SAY. BUT ULTIMATELY, SHE JT HUGGED ME. SHE LIVED TO BE 94. FOR THE RT OF HER LIFE, WE WERE ABLE TO OPERATE NOT JT LOVE, BUT TRANSPARENCY.”COMG OUT WAS HARD FOR HER MOTHER, TOO.“I KNOW SHE EXPERIENCED SOME GRIEF, THAT WAS NOT A TRADNAL PATH HER CHILD WAS GOG TO FOLLOW. SHE THOUGHT I WOULD GET HURT AND PUNISHED AND WOULDN’T ADVANCE A REER. BUT SHE WAS ALSO THE ONE WHO GAVE ME THE FOUNDATN TO KNOW I SHOULD NTUE TO TRY TO BE WHO I AM,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “WE HAVE TO BE EXACTLY WHO WE ARE. THERE’S SO MUCH POWER THAT. FEAR IS SOMETHG THAT WE SOMEHOW THK WILL CHANGE OR SHIFT OR GO AWAY AS WE GET OLR, BUT DON’T. WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, WE HAVE TO JT DO SRED. DON’T FD YOURSELF LOSG TIME.”MCKENZIE-LEE AND HER WIFE, DENISE, HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 15 YEARS AND MARRIED FOR FIVE. THEY’VE BEEN TO PRI CELEBRATNS TORONTO, MNEAPOLIS, PORTLAND AND CHIGO. THOUGH SHE WILL MISS MARCHG CHIGO’S PARA WH STARBUCKS PARTNERS THIS YEAR, SHE BELIEV WE N LOOK FOR NEW EXPERIENC, ON THAT ULD END UP BEG JT AS MEANGFUL AS THE ON WE’RE MISSG THIS YEAR.“WE N CELEBRATE THE OPPORTUNI WE HAVE TO REIMAGE OURSELV. WE N CELEBRATE THE WAYS WE STILL HAVE TO NNECT. WE N CELEBRATE KDNS – I BELIEVE KDNS IS OL. THERE’S AN ALICE WALKER QUOTE I LOVE: ‘KEEP MD ALWAYS THE PRENT YOU ARE NSTCTG. IT SHOULD BE THE FUTURE YOU WANT.’ NOW, MORE THAN EVER, THAT’S ON MY MD,” MCKENZIE-LEE SAID. “WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE ON THE OTHER SI OF THIS? LET’S MAKE SURE ’S SURROUND WH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT . LET’S MAKE SURE ’S HAVG TAKEN RE OF OURSELV AND EACH OTHER.”CATL PERR: ‘COMMUNY N MEAN LOTS OF THGS’CATL PERR GREW UP AN IMMERSIVE RELIG MUNY CALIFORNIA. HE ATTEND A CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL AND STUDIED THEOLOGY AT A BIBLE LLEGE.“MY GROWG UP AND G OUT AND BEG A WHOLE PERSON AND STARBUCKS, THEY’RE ALL TIED TOGETHER. THAT NFINCE GOT BUILT HERE."“IT WAS THE KD OF IMMERSIVE THAT’S NOT JT YOUR CHURCH, BUT YOUR WHOLE WORLD – YOUR SOCIAL LIFE, YOUR TN, EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, JT … INTY,” PERR SAID. “AND THE PARTICULAR VE OF CHRISTIANY I GREW UP , BEG GAY WAS NSIRED A S. THERE WAS A TON OF SHAME ATTACHED TO . FOR ME, WAS REALLY REPRSIVE TO FEEL MY ATTRACTNS WERE BAD, THE THGS I N’T NTROL, AS WAS MY GRAVATN TOWARD CERTA PEOPLE AND RELATNSHIPS, AND TO REALIZE I’D HAVE TO EHER KD OF IGNORE AS I GREW OLR, OR ACKNOWLEDGE BUT NEVER BE FORTABLE ACTG ON , AND TO WATCH IENDS HAVG THE FULL AND OPEN RELATNSHIPS AND FEELG THOSE WERE ROADS I ULD NEVER ACCS.”PERR, 33,  PARTMENTALIZED HIS SEXUALY, AND SAID HE STARTED THKG OF HIMSELF AS PIEC OF A PERSON RATHER THAN A WHOLE – CLUDG SOME PIEC THAT DIDN’T QUE F TOGETHER, AND OTHERS THAT FELT BROKEN ALTOGETHER.ONE NIGHT SHORTLY AFTER LLEGE, HE WAS TALKG WH HIS ROOMMATE, NATHAN, THEIR NEW APARTMENT. THERE WAS NO FURNURE YET – THEY’D JT MOVED – SO THEY WERE STG ON THE LIVG ROOM FLOOR, TALKG AND DRKG WE. CATL CID TO E OUT TO HIM. GIVEN THEIR SIAR UPBRGG, HIS IEND AND ROOMMATE ULD HAVE REACTED ANY NUMBER OF WAYS.“WE TALKED ABOUT HOW I ALWAYS FELT PARTMENTALIZED, AND HOW I ULD RENCILE MY FAH AND MY SEXUALY AND E TO MY OWN AS A WHOLE PERSON. WE DRANK WE AND WE CRIED OUT. IT WAS BIG. NATHAN WAS MASSIVELY IMPORTANT MY G OUT EXPERIENCE AND TO MY LONG JOURNEY TO FEELG PLETE,” PERR SAID. “WHEN I LOOK BACK, I HAD A LOT OF PERFECTLY LEGIMATE REASONS TO BE SRED AND HANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOG THROUGH. BUT WHEN YOU START TO CRACK THAT, YOU WILL FD THERE ARE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO GET , WHO WILL LOVE YOU REGARDLS. FD THOSE PEOPLE. TALK TO THEM. AND REGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOG TO BE ON A JOURNEY, TOO, AND THAT YOU N HELP RM THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, BOTH NOW AND FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.”PERR WAS PURSUG A TEACHG GREE WHEN HE CID TO TAKE A SEMTER OFF AND APPLY FOR A JOB AT STARBUCKS, MALY FOR THE HEALTH SURANCE. NOW, 14 YEARS LATER, PERR IS A DISTRICT MANAGER OF 18 LICENSED STARBUCKS STOR LOS ANGEL.LIKE HIS NVERSATNS WH NATHAN, STARBUCKS WOULD ALSO PROVE STMENTAL TO PERR FDG THE URAGE TO E ALL THE WAY OUT. SHORTLY AFTER HE STARTED HIS JOB, HE MENTNED SOMEONE HE WAS SEEG TO A -WORKER. HE WAS REFUL NOT TO E PRONOUNS – BUT WHEN THEY ASKED IF HE WAS DATG A MALE OR FEMALE, HE CHOSE TO ANSWER HONTLY. ““HER REACTN WAS KD OF ‘OL, WHATEVER.’ IT WAS ALMOST BLASé, WHICH WAS POWERFUL. THAT HAS STUCK WH ME,” HE SAID. “MY GROWG UP AND G OUT AND BEG A WHOLE PERSON AND STARBUCKS, THEY’RE ALL TIED TOGETHER. THAT NFINCE GOT BUILT HERE. AT STARBUCKS I GOT TO SEE ADULTS WHO WERE SUCCSFUL THEIR REERS AND SAME-SEX RELATNSHIPS THAT WERE LOVG AND RG, AND THEY WERE THE FIRST ON I EVER SAW. SO MANY PEOPLE AT STARBUCKS WILL NOT ONLY ACCEPT YOU, BUT CHEER FOR YOU AND BE YOUR RNER AND WANT TO SEE YOU BE SUCCSFUL.”PERR TYPILLY CELEBRAT PRI OUTSI ENJOYG THE BETIFUL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEATHER, BARBECUG WH IENDS AND ATTENDG THE PARA. THIS YEAR, MORE THAN EVER, HE’S LOOKG FOR OPPORTUNI TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AND MUNI STILL FIGHTG FOR EQUALY.“WHEN I THK ABOUT THE ARC OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, PRI MEANS A LOT OF THGS – A CELEBRATN, A VICTORY MARCH, A RISTANCE RALLY, A LL TO BE BETTER AND MORE CLIVE AND MORE EQUABLE,” PERR SAID. “PRI IS ALSO MUNY, AND MUNY N MEAN LOTS OF THGS, TOO. IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANMIC, THAT MUNY WILL LOOK REALLY DIFFERENT THAN DID A FEW MONTHS AGO – I MEAN, THERE ARE ZOOM NIGHT CLUBS WH PEOPLE DANCG AROUND THEIR LIVG ROOMS. AND THERE ARE ALL THE GLIMPS OF THE BETTER SIS OF HUMANY, AND HOW WE ARE FIGURG THGS OUT TOGETHER AS THGS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY WILD. FOR ME, AS AN LGBTQ MUNY, WE ALSO HAVE A RPONSIBILY TO KEEP FIGHTG FOR EQUALY PLAC AND MUNI AND FOR PEOPLE FOR WHOM ’S NOT HAPPENG. THERE’S A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO THERE. PRI MARKS THAT PROGRS, NTUALLY.”SHARE THIS ARTICLESHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWTERSHARE ON LKEDINSHARE EMAILREAD MORESTARBUCKS PARTNERS CELEBRATE PRI AT EVENTS ACROSS U.S.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz dug his heels about gay marriage after an vtor plaed that the pany's support was erodg s bottom le.

In March 2012, the Natnal Organizatn for Marriage stuted a "Dump Starbucks" boytt bee of the pany's support of gay marriage. "Until January a year ago, we existed whout makg gay marriage a re value of our pany, " said Stber.