WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) ─ In the wake of George Floyd’s death, brands both large and small have spoken out against police brutality.
But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, says that isn’t enough.
“I would not allow big companies to get a pass on just a few nice words and few nice goals,” Gillibrand said.
Gillibrand says she’s looking for companies to take action and stay true to their words.
“Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is, and are you willing to invest in these communities that have been held back for generations because of the lack of investment?” Gillibrand questioned.
Several companies have taken action, however. Nike recently announced that the company invested $40 million in programs that fight racial inequality.
Brian Dodge, the president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, expects more companies to begin making strides toward change.
“We are in a period of time where we need some change,” Dodge said. “The underlying policies in law enforcement some of them ─ have poorly served good cops and we want to make sure that we’re getting the policy right.”
Rep. Tom Reed, R-New York, said the brands are prompting conversations where they’re needed most.
“The more that we can be discussing the issues of division in America when it comes to racism…or a company that obviously many of the next generation pay attention to ─ that’s a good thing,” he said. “Between families, between different classes, between different races of people.”