Dear friends,
| Ever feel like you could use some good news? Here are 5 things to brighten up your day. These five stories from the SumOfUs community made me proud, happy, and brought tears to my eyes. Most of all, they reminded me of the one simple reason I started this organisation: when we work together we are powerful.
When a fresh corporate scandal hits the headlines, it’s easy to forget the difference we make every day. This email is designed to remind you, and to say THANK YOU for standing with us as we take on some of the biggest corporations in the world. 1. Máxima What would you do if one of the biggest mining companies in the world wanted to evict you from your home? Would you have the courage to stand up to corporate bullies? Peruvian farmer Máxima Acuña de Chaupe made a brave decision five years ago that Newmont mining would not take her land. The SumOfUs community knew we had to stand with her. 160,000 of us joined the campaign to protect her land. We donated tens of thousands of dollars to support her lawsuit against Newmont. Last week, I watched Máxima collect the prestigious Goldman prize, the nobel prize for environmental activism. It was one of the proudest moments of my career. But best of all? Newmont has backed down. It has delayed its plans to put a gold and copper mine on Máxima’s land. If you have any doubt about the part you played in this, then please read this message from Máxima: “I am fighting with my family for something just, to defend my land, whatever it has cost me. For this, I thank you because your support has given me the strength to continue fighting.” Máxima’s fight is not over. But she is not alone. 160,000 of us stand with her, from all around the world.
2. Seaworld Forcing large, intelligent animals to live in small underwater cages for profit is unethical. But that’s exactly what Seaworld has done for years, keeping orcas and marine mammals in captivity for entertainment. And over the past three years or so, over a million SumOfUs members joined the fight to end a practice that endangers not only animals, but trainers too. We lobbied politicians, slammed SeaWorld on social media, and even developed a video game to show SeaWorld how the grim life orcas live.
Millions of consumers sent a clear message to SeaWorld that they won’t pay to watch animal cruelty in action.And last month they listened: SeaWorld announced it will stop breeding orcas last month. We need to keep up the pressure and end this orca cruelty, and we can’t do this without you. 3. Palm oil Indonesia is burning. Its beautiful rainforests are being ravaged by forest fires, deliberately set to clear the way for palm oil plantations. The world’s biggest food companies are profiting from this environmental destruction, buying palm oil that is grown unsustainably and at the expense of the homes of orangutans, tigers, and elephants.
Last year, SumOfUs members forced some of the biggest brands in the world to change their ways. To name a few, KFC, McDonalds, and Dunkin’ Donuts adopted better palm oil policies. And when Indonesian families were caught in the path of forest fires, thousands of you donated to help their safe evacuation. SumOfUs members have sent a clear message to food giants that we won’t let them profit from deforestation. And we are having a real impact. In fact, hours after SumOfUs members from Seattle held a protest outside the first ever Starbucks, the company rushed to announce a new palm oil policy! And it’s a good one. We won’t rest until all big food companies source conflict-free palm oil. 4. Kesha/WestJet No survivor of sexual assault should be required to work with her abuser. And no company should allow its employees to be harassed or assaulted at work. Recently, two women in two different countries found themselves in that position and SumOfUs members stepped up to support them. Our job was simple: to shine a light on companies who were ignoring injustice and get them to do the right thing. In the US, our target was Sony Music. Sony was fighting the singer Kesha in court because she refused to make music with a man she accused of drugging and sexually assaulting her as a teenager. When a New York court refused to break Kesha’s contract with Dr. Luke, we joined thousands of Kesha fans around the country in demanding that Sony #FreeKesha. And when we decided to turn up the volume with a rally at Sony’s New York headquarters, a Sony Music insider leaked the news that they were planning to drop Dr. Luke from the label.
Meanwhile in Canada, SumOfUs campaigners were alerted to a flight attendant who was fired by airline WestJet for speaking out about a pilot who sexually assaulted her. When Mandalena “Mandy” Lewis launched a lawsuit against WestJet, we launched a campaign calling for the company to change its ways and for CEO Greg Saretsky to resign. Together we made a lot of headlines. Thanks to members holding protests at airports across Canada, eight more women who were sexually harassed at WestJet have been brave enough to come forward. The company has taken notice: it just hired independent auditors to review their sexual assault policies, and its executive team agreed to meet SumOfUs to hear more about members’ concerns. We’ve come so far, but neither of these campaigns ends until the companies involved put women’s safety before their profits. We can only keep this fight going with the support of members like you. 5. Airbnb No company should break international law just to make a profit. When SumOfUs members learned that Airbnb was listing holiday homes to rent in the occupied West Bank, 140,000 spoke up to get the company to stop breaking the law.
The truly global nature of our community allowed us to deliver our message to Airbnb executives in San Francisco, Paris, and London. When I saw photos of SumOfUs members from France, Britain and America at Airbnb offices, I realised our community is now so big and powerful it can match the reach of the world’s most powerful corporations. Our protests made headlines around the world. It’s just a matter of time before Airbnb take notice. And you can help make sure it happens. I hope this email has brightened your day like it did mine when I sat down to write it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do, it gives me hope and energy every day. Taren PS: Can’t become a monthly donor? No worries. But please consider making a special one-time donation so we can campaign on the issues that matter, together. Every little bit counts.
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