Chance the Rapper Defends Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield
Chance the Rapper Defends Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield
Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, shocked many when he announced he was stepping down from the company after 47 years. The 74-year-old entrepreneur said he could no longer, in good conscience, remain at the ice cream brand because its independence to stand up for justice had been taken away.
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His resignation followed Unilever’s decision to reorganize its ice cream brands under the Magnum Ice Cream Company. Ben & Jerry’s had already asked to be released from Unilever’s ownership, but that request was denied. For Greenfield, it was a breaking point. “It’s with a broken heart that I’ve decided I can no longer remain an employee of Ben & Jerry’s,” he said in a statement. He explained that the freedom the company once had to speak out on social issues had been “silenced” in recent years.
That message struck a chord with Chance the Rapper, who publicly defended Greenfield. Chance pointed out that Jerry has long been committed to using the company’s platform to advocate for peace, equality, and human rights, including his outspoken activism and support of Palestine. He argued that silencing voices like Jerry’s only hurts efforts to push for justice. “When you stand up for the oppressed, you’re always going to face backlash,” Chance said, adding that Greenfield’s values shouldn’t be punished.
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For decades, Ben & Jerry’s has been known for its activism, from climate change to racial justice to international conflicts. Greenfield said that under Unilever, that tradition of independence had eroded. “For more than 20 years, we stood up and spoke in support of peace and human rights, not just as concepts but in relation to real events in the world. That independence is gone,” he wrote.
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Ben Cohen, his longtime partner and co-founder, echoed those feelings. He shared Jerry’s resignation letter online, saying he never thought his friend would have to make such a decision. “His legacy deserves to be true to the values we founded this company on, not silenced by corporate control,” Cohen wrote, while urging fans to join their #FreeBenandJerrys campaign.
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For Greenfield, the decision was about more than ice cream. “The real test of values,” he said, “is when you have something to lose.”
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Chance the Rapper Defends Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
