Ice cream company Ben and Jerry’s is joining a protest to “send an urgent message to the incoming administration,” according to a newsletter shared on social media.
“Power to the people! On January 18, we’re joining the People’s March in Washington, DC (and beyond!) to send an urgent message to the incoming administration: You work for the people, and we’re here to hold you accountable,” the newsletter reads. “Together, we will fight for our rights and our future, and defend our freedoms against fascism. It is our right to protest and safely dissent policies and practices that do not represent our beliefs – regardless of who is in power.”
“We are more united than we are divided,” the newsletter continues. “Let’s make sure they know it! Join us on January 18 in Washington, DC or at a march near you and protect your right to protest!”
The Ben and Jerry’s website includes an “activism” page that details the company’s “progressive values.”
“We have a progressive, nonpartisan social mission that seeks to meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national, and international communities by integrating these concerns in our day-to-day business activities,” the page states.
The page goes on to criticize capitalism.
“Capitalism and the wealth it produces do not create opportunity for everyone equally,” the website says. “We recognize that the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than at any time since the 1920s. We strive to create economic opportunities for those who have been denied them and to advance new models of economic justice that are sustainable and replicable.”
Ben and Jerry’s “social mission” seeks to “eliminate injustices in our communities by integrating these concerns into our day-to-day business activities,” another page says.
The movements supported by the company include racial justice, fairtrade, rights and dignity of refugees, democracy, campaign finance reform, and LGBTQ rights.
