Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz refused to back down despite receiving criticisms on their controversial "Race Together" campaign.
"Over the last few months, I have tried to seek out other influential people who have a greater understanding than I do of the issue of race and racial injustice in America," Schultz said, reported LA Times.
Schultz admitted that he knew there will be cynics and recalled the time when he took the initiative to start the campaign.
He also asked the public to understand and trust their intentions, saying that they "strongly believe that out best days are ahead of us."
Rapper Common, who was in the webcasted meeting, agreed and said that people can only solve their problems when they stop hiding from it.
Starbucks launched their "RaceTogether" campaign on Monday, March 16 in USA Today. The campaign aims to have employees engage their customers into a discussion about the controversial issue.
The company's new campaign has received a number of criticisms on social media. Critics are telling the company on where they should be putting their money on, according to Vice News.
The outlet cited that Mike Klonsky took a photo of the Starbucks cup bearing the brand's new campaign, and wrote: "Starbucks CEO Schultz wants us to write political stuff on cups. He pays workers $7.62/hr. So I start here."
The outlet also analyzed that Schultz earns an average of $10,000 per hour while his employees only earn that amount twice in a year.
Schultz dismissed the notion that the issue is a bit too much for Starbucks to handle. Schultz has been known for taking part in political issues such as showing support for marriage equality bill in 2013.
He said that he wants to take part in these issues because it is a way for him to "learn so I can get better and understand what I and the company can do."