Former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, a complex but beloved man in the eyes of many residents in D.C., recently had his likeness used by the &Pizza restaurant for their new “Marion Berry Knots.” The dessert item is made with marionberries (a cultivar of blackberries) and comes with a small packet of white powdered sugar.
The promotional material used the phrase, “These knots will blow you away,” which was intended as a reference to the late mayor’s battle with substance abuse. “For a good time, it’s the powder that’s the ultimate headline grabber,” the company said. “The Marion Berry Knots have enough powdered sugar that will have customers bumping elbows to order and even force the DEA to look twice.”
This of course wasn’t the first time a brand has tried to use the images and history of Black people to sell its products, and it won’t be the last. Even when these businesses entrench themselves in the community, it’s never for the purpose of uplifting the community but to commodify the culture to make it more palatable to the masses.
And that’s exactly what &Pizza did with its “Marion Berry Knots.” The product’s advertising distorts Barry’s history by only highlighting his drug scandal from 1990 and reveals how people who battle with substance abuse are viewed by corporate marketers. To sell a dessert, they mock a man who has long passed and ignore his full legacy.
Marion Barry served as mayor of D.C. from 1979 to 1991 and 1995 to 1999. He was someone who advocated for home rule to allow D.C. autonomy from the federal government, created youth programs, and focused on infrastructure and economic development.
One of those programs was the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program, which was created to give teenagers the chance to earn money, gain meaningful work experience, and gain exposure to various industries and possible career paths. The program gave youth who otherwise don’t have a lot of opportunities the ability to develop the skills, attitudes, and commitment necessary when joining the workforce.
After &Pizza’s Marion Berry Knots sparked a backlash, the company’s CEO Mike Burns released a statement saying:
“While humor was our intent, it was regrettably off the mark. We’re an edgy brand known for being risk-takers. The parody of the former mayor and the portrayal of substance abuse was wrong. We have read the countless messages and social media posts and understand the frustration this has brought forth – especially to the Barry family.”
Organizations across D.C. say Burns’ statement isn’t enough. They have come together to take a stand against the blatant racism in the company’s marketing and the harm the incident has caused to Barry’s family, his legacy, and the Black D.C. community.
They are demanding &Pizza do the following:
- Remove the Marion Berry Knots from all menus immediately.
- Issue a public statement to the Barry family and the Black D.C. community in regards to the company’s harmful and racist actions.
- Commit to not exploiting Black leaders and Black culture for profit.
- Engage with Black-led community leadership and organizations to support D.C. in a meaningful way.
As with all op-eds published by People’s World, this article reflects the views of its author.
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