Travis Scott is a hugely successful rapper whose career has taken off in recent years. From albums like “Astroworld” and his theme park of the same name, to his epic Super Bowl performance and Netflix documentary, Travis Scott is at the peak of his popularity. Recently, he even collaborated with McDonald’s on a limited edition Travis Scott meal. However, the intention behind this collaboration has been called into question as two former Vice Presidents of the franchise, Domineca Neal and Vicki Guster-Hines, have filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s alleging a “hostile and abusive work environment” and a “ruthless purge” of Black employees within the company.
The lawsuit, which was filed in August 2020, claims that since the current CEO Kempczinki and former CEO Steve Easterbrook took over, the plaintiffs have experienced racist comments and a purging of 35 Black executives over a period of 5 years. The lawsuit also states that Black programs have been defunded and that the board has been completely whitewashed. Neal and Hines are two of 52 Black franchise owners who are suing McDonald’s for racial discrimination.
Despite McDonald’s denial of any cover up in connection with the Travis Scott meal, the timing of the release of the meal in September 2020 raises suspicions. To date, Travis Scott has not commented on the matter. As people of color, the idea that franchise owners and executives are subjected to such racist work environments at a company that claims to value cultural diversity and acceptance is disheartening.
It is important for McDonald’s to take action and address these claims, whether that means firing those involved in the lawsuits or providing better working conditions and compensation for all employees and executives of color. Merely paying lip service to cultural diversity and acceptance is not enough. Companies must walk the talk, and McDonald’s should be held to this standard.
After learning this information we feel action needs to be taken by Mcdonald’s. If they can’t fire the CEO’s involved in the lawsuits due to work contracts such as tenure, then they should provide not only better work conditions for all employees and executives of color, but also pay out all the employees suing them. It’s the absolute bare minimum.
As a POC, hearing that Franchise owners and Executives suffer from such extremely discomforting racist work environments from a company prides themselves in cultural diversity and acceptance disgusts me and honestly breaks my heart. Mcdonald’s needs to not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk.
Being culturally diverse and accepting has almost become somewhat of a trend. Many companies hop on for positive exposure, especially after they’ve had racist allegations targeted towards them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad companies are acknowledging the importance of inclusion and equality, however, you can say all these things and still have white supremists on the board of your company.
This is something that Travis should have addressed, which maybe he was even advised against doing so due to the fact that the cover up theory is still only a speculation. Personally, I wouldn’t want my name associated with a company that has demonstrated such horrible behavior, even if I made millions from it.
In conclusion, while companies may adopt cultural diversity and acceptance as a trend, this is not enough. White supremacists may still exist within the leadership of these companies. Travis Scott’s association with a company that has faced such horrific allegations, even if he has made millions from it, is a matter of personal choice and conscience.
