The People’s Response Act, co-introduced into Congress by U.S. Rep. Cori Bush of St. Louis, is now the inspiration for a new flavor of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.
Change is Brewing ice cream is a limited release flavor that is now in stores, or will be soon. The Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s officially unveiled the flavor on Monday; Bush was featured at the unveiling.
“We invited her to speak at the unveiling of the flavor so she could help out the word about educate not only our fans but millions of Americans about the People’s Response Act,” said Jabari Paul, U.S. Activism Manager at Ben & Jerry’s.
The Change is Brewing flavor begins with coffee ice cream, with marshmallow swirls and fudge brownies. The coffee is supplied by BLK & Bold, a Black-owned company that donates a portion of its sales to support at-risk youth, and the fudge brownies are supplied by Greyston Bakery, which hires employees without asking about criminal records or drug use.
The People’s Response Act “addresses ways to deal with mental health issues, invests in preventative care and addresses inequalities when it comes to public safety in America,” Paul said.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been known for supporting progressive causes. Since 2000 it has been owned by the multinational corporation Unilever. According to Paul, Ben & Jerry’s has an independent board of directors that is separate from the Unilever board.
“Our board has complete governance over the social mission of the company,” he said.
