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Protesters Rally for Whole Foods Workers to Openly Support Black Lives Matter

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About 35 Whole Foods workers, ex-workers and supporters gathered outside of the store’s Berkeley Telegraph Avenue location on Saturday afternoon to protest the company and local management not allowing workers to wear masks and attire that says “Black Lives Matter.” The action followed and built on a similar larger event that occurred on Friday, July 17, when, according to ex-Whole Foods worker Jordan Baker, about 250 people rallied outside of Whole Foods’ Gilman Street location.

Although protestors said they were also responding to a long history of racism and white supremacy at Whole Foods, one specific incident helped spark the rallies: management at the Gilman street location demanding that Baker, who is Black, remove a mask that said “Black Lives Matter” on it on July 14.

“Store leadership told me they wouldn’t want to get in the middle of me and an angry customer who was offended by me wearing something that says ‘Black Lives Matter,” said Baker. “They told me it was akin to someone wearing a MAGA mask and that it was a controversial statement.”

Management gave Baker the option of wearing another mask or leaving for the day. Not wanting to compromise her principals, Baker decided to leave. Although she had worked at Whole Foods for seven years, her entire adult working life up to that point, she quit the next day she was scheduled to work, July 17.

“I honestly don’t want to work for a company who only ‘supports’ a movement when it makes them look good or makes them money,” said Baker in an Instagram post she wrote on July 14 and edited on July 17.

Although Whole Foods’ website and a sign outside their Telegraph location states, “Racism has no place here,” and “We support the Black community,” other workers locally and across the country say they also have faced repercussions for displaying the message “Black Lives Matter” while working in the store. 

Workers at a Cambridge, Massachusetts Whole Foods said that, a little over a month ago, their management sent several workers home for wearing masks that said “Black Lives Matter.” One worker, Savannah Kinzer, was fired shortly after. The workers have filed a discrimination lawsuit that alleges Whole Foods enforces their dress code in a selective way to specifically suppress those supporting Black Lives Matter, including sending workers home without pay, and that Kinzer was fired specifically because of her open support for Black Lives Matter. Whole Foods workers in Seattle have protested due to similar treatment.

Ann Del Rio, who worked at Whole Foods’ Telegraph Avenue location until recently said that management at that store selectively enforces their dress code as well. While the code does not allow workers to wear apparel with messages unrelated to Whole Foods or the products it sells, workers regularly wear sports t-shirts and shirts with names of heavy metal bands on them. Yet a little over a month ago management told a worker wearing a Black Lives Matter mask and one wearing a Mexican Flag mask to take them off.

Del Rio said management escalated efforts to enforce the dress code on July 17, the same day of the protest outside of the Whole Foods’ Gilman Street location, telling workers they were going to start enforcing the dress code more stringently, specifically pointing out buttons and masks with messages on them. At that point, Del Rio had already put in her two weeks’ notice and planned to quit to work another job. But she left three days before her planned last day when management gave her an ultimatum: stop wearing a small Black Lives Matter button or do not come to work.

“I would rather lose three days of work than compromise my ethics,” Del Rio said. “It was very clear that them really coming down on the dress code policy is because they don’t support the Black community and they don’t want to alienate their white customer base.”

The store was closed during the protest due to a power outage, according to Whole Foods representatives on-site. Yet the protest still got attention from those unaffiliated with the store. People driving cars along Telegraph Avenue honked their horns as protesters held signs accusing Whole Foods of racism. A van with the message “WHOLE FOODS IS RACIST” in large spray-painted letters was on display.

A nurse, Eric Torres, who works at Sutter Health Clinic which sits across the street from the Telegraph Whole Foods store, got to work a little early and decided to join the protest. He did not know, before he saw the protesters, about the action.

“I’ve got 15 minutes and I’ll use my 15 minutes for something good,” he said. “I read about Whole Foods and people not being allowed to wear BLM stuff at work. So when I saw people out here I knew what they were supporting. It’s just about human decency.”

Torres held a sign, which Baker made that read “‘RACISM HAS NO PLACE HERE’ SAID THE RACIST.’”

“I have endured racism all my life,” said Denise James, a 66-year-old Black retired teacher who lives near the store and passed by the protest. “It’s unfortunate and awful and detrimental in so many ways to African Americans. I’m so glad that there’s a movement now to highlight all these issues.”

James was happy to see the protestors, saying “more power to them.” She called Whole Foods “two-faced” for displaying a sign on their store that reads “Racism has no place here” while not allowing workers to openly support the Black Lives Matter movement.

John Hopkins, an Amazon worker who is trying to organize other local Amazon workers through an organization called Bay Area Amazonians came out to support and stayed for several hours. Since Amazon owns Whole Foods, he sees their fights as related. He wore a Black Lives Matter mask and held a sign he made that read “Solidarity Means Saying BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!!!!”

“Black Lives Matter should not be a controversial statement, “ he said. “The fact that it is is systemic racism.”

John Farmer, an ex-Whole Foods employee of seven years who quit because he said the workload was too much for the pay, spoke through a loudspeaker to the protesters and those passing by.

“Attention Berkeley: Whole Foods is closed due to an outbreak of racism,” he said, jokingly. “They are too racist to operate.”

Other protestors used the loudspeaker to call for Whole Foods to pay reparations and reinstitute the two dollars an hour COVID related hazard pay allotment that the company began in March but ended in June, even as COVID cases have continued to rise nationwide.

Protestors chanted “Black lives matter,” “All Black lives matter,” “Whole Foods is racist” and “Jeff Bezos is racist” often.

Although the protest was scheduled to happen between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., it ended up running longer than planned and the last people left just after 5 p.m. 

“Black people deserve to know that they are respected and protected,” said Baker. “I wore my mask because saying Black Lives Matter isn’t controversial. I had a lot of support shown to me and the others throughout the company who are receiving the same treatment. Taking a stand against Whole Foods and being a part of the biggest ‘fuck you’ that they have received in a long time feels good and it feels like it’s been a long time coming.”

When emailed, Whole Foods Media did not respond to the question, “Does Whole Foods support the Black Lives Matter movement?” Instead, they sent a statement that was identical to one published in a recent Berkleyside and Boston24News story. It reads as follows:

“In order to operate in a customer-focused environment, all Team Members must comply with our longstanding company dress code, which prohibits clothing with visible slogans, messages, logos or advertising that are not company-related. Team Members with face masks that do not comply with dress code are always offered new face masks. Team Members are unable to work until they comply with dress code.”

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Oakland Post: Week of March 13 – 19, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 13 – 19, 2024

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Oakland Post: Week of March 6 – 12, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 6 – 12, 2024

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Who are the Alameda County District 4 Supervisor Candidates’ Top Campaign Contributors?

Below, we’ve listed each candidate’s 10 highest campaign contributors. For Miley, two of his top campaign donors also bought their own advertisements to support him and/or oppose Esteen through independent expenditures. Such expenditures, though separate from campaign donations, are also public record, and we listed them. Additionally, the National Organization of Realtors has spent about $70,500 on their own independent expenditures to support Miley.

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Jennifer Esteen. (Campaign photo) and Supervisor Nate Miley. (Official photo).
Jennifer Esteen. (Campaign photo) and Supervisor Nate Miley. (Official photo).

By Zack Haber

Nate Miley, who has served on Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors since 2000, is running for reelection to the District 4 supervisor seat.

Jennifer Esteen, a nurse and activist, is seeking to unseat him and become one of the five members of the powerful board that sets the county’s budget, governs its unincorporated areas, and oversees the sheriff, Alameda Health System, and mental health system.

District 4 includes most of East Oakland’s hills and flatlands beyond Fruitvale, part of Pleasanton and unincorporated areas south of San Leandro like Ashland and Castro Valley.

Voting is open and will remain open until March 5.

In California, campaign donations of $100 or more are public record. The records show that Miley has received about $550,000 in total campaign donations since he won the previous District 4 election in March 2020. Esteen has raised about $255,000 in total campaign donations since she started collecting them last July. All figures are accurate through Feb. 20.

While Miley has raised more money, Esteen has received donations from more sources. Miley received donations of $100 or more from 439 different sources. Esteen received such donations from 507 different sources.

Below, we’ve listed each candidate’s 10 highest campaign contributors. For Miley, two of his top campaign donors also bought their own advertisements to support him and/or oppose Esteen through independent expenditures. Such expenditures, though separate from campaign donations, are also public record, and we listed them. Additionally, the National Organization of Realtors has spent about $70,500 on their own independent expenditures to support Miley.

Nate Miley’s top campaign contributors:

The California Apartment Association, a trade group representing landlords and investors in California’s rental housing business, has spent about $129,500 supporting Miley’s election bid through about $59,500 in ads against Esteen$55,000 in ads supporting Miley, and $15,000 in campaign donations.

The independent expenditure committee Preserve Agriculture in Alameda County has spent about $46,025 supporting Miley through about $27,200 in their own ads, and $18,825 in donations to his campaign. Preserve Agriculture has supported reelection efforts for former Alameda County DA Nancy O’Malley, and Sheriff Greg Ahern, a republican. It’s received funding from ChevronPG&E, and a the California Apartment Association.

Organizations associated with the Laborers’ International Union of North America, or LiUNA, have donated about $35,000 in total. Construction and General Laborers Local 304, a local chapter of the union representing which represents over 4,000 workers, donated $20,000.

Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition, which represents 70,000 LiUNA members in Arizona, California, Hawaii and New Mexico, donated $15,000.

William ‘Bill’ Crotinger and the East Oakland-based company Argent Materials have donated $26,000. Crotinger is the president and founder of Argent, a concrete and asphalt recycling yard. Argent’s website says it is an eco-friendly company that diverts materials from landfills. In 2018, Argent paid the EPA $27,000 under a settlement for committing Clean Water Act violations.

Michael Morgan of Hayward, owner of We Are Hemp, a marijuana dispensary in Ashland, has donated $21,500.

Alameda County District 1 Supervisor David Haubert has donated $21,250 from his 2024 reelection campaign. He’s running unopposed for the District 1 seat.

SEIU 1021which represents over 60,000 workers in local governments, non-profit agencies, healthcare programs, and schools in Northern California, has donated $20,000.

UA Local 342, which represents around 4,000 pipe trades industry workers in Contra Costa and Alameda counties, donated $20,000.

The union representing the county’s deputy sheriffs, Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Alameda County, has donated $17,000.

Becton Healthcare Resources and its managers have donated $14,625. Becton’s mission statement says it provides “behavioral health management services to organizations and groups that serve the serious and persistent mentally ill population.”

Jennifer Esteen’s top campaign contributors:

Mary Quinn Delaney of Piedmont, founder of Akonadi Foundation, has donated $20,000. Akonadi Foundation gives grants to nonprofit organizations, especially focusing on racial justice organizing,

Bridget Galli of Castro Valley has donated $7,000. Galli is a yoga instructor and a co-owner of Castro Valley Yoga.

Rachel Gelman of Oakland has donated $5,000. Gelman is an activist who has vowed to redistribute her inherited wealth to working class, Indigenous and Black communities.

California Worker Families Party has donated $5,000. The organization’s website describes itself as a “grassroots party for the multiracial working class.”

David Stern of Albany has donated $5,000. Stern is a retired UC Berkeley Professor of Education.

Oakland Rising Committee—a collaborative of racial, economic, and environmental justice organizations—has donated about $3,050.

Fredeke Von Bothmer-Goodyear, an unemployed resident of San Francisco, has donated $2,600.

Robert Britton of Castro Valley has donated $2,500. Britton is retired and worked in the labor movement for decades.

Progressive Era PAC has donated about $2,400. Its mission statement says it “exists to elect governing majorities of leaders in California committed to building a progressive era for people of color.”

East Bay Stonewall Democrats Club has donated $2,250. The club was founded in 1982 to give voice to the East Bay LGBTQIA+ communities.

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