Customer’s Mask Complaint Help Starbucks Barista to Raise Fund for his Dream
A Starbucks barista in San Diego earned $87,000 in donation after a customer about him when he was accosted for not wearing face mask.
An online fundraiser was created to the barista named Lenin Gutierrez in response to a customer who was not wearing face mask complained on Facebook about the company’s policies and the interaction with him when he was asked to wear face coverings.
Gutierrez went into Facebook and posted a video of him to explain his side regarding the viral incident. He said that he was working at the front register and asked the customer, Amber Lynn Gilles, if she had a face mask.
However, the customer said “No, I don’t need one,” based on the video. She responded before showing her a paper explaining the company’s mask policy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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He said in his video, the customer started “cursing up a storm” and called people “sheep” before walking out. Gutierrez thought that was the end, however, she came back and asked for his name, took a photo of him and she will reach out to corporate offices.
After that, Gilles posted the photos on social media along with a caption saying “Meet lenen from Starbucks who refused to serve me cause I’m not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption.”
Gilles also added in the comment that they were “stupid and so are the people wearing them,” stressing doubts in the face coverings. Her post has gone viral on social media, garnered 110,000 reactions, 133,000 comments, and 49,000 shares, based on the report of the New York Times.
However, her post drew flak from the netizens which give Gutierrez thousands of dollars came from 5,000 donors through the GoFundMe campaign. The site reported that Gutierrez fundraising has now reached $87,000 in donations. Titled as “Tips for Lenin Standing Up to A San Diego Karen,” a term used to describe a white woman who is angry or feels entitled.
Meanwhile, Gilles said that she was “denied and discriminated against” and that she had received “thousands” of death threats. “I didn’t harass anyone,” she said. “I called them out because I’m frustrated.”
Starbucks representative said that the company followed the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local orders. The company only implements the policies to ensure the safety of customers the same as their employees.
Gutierrez said he will use the fund raised to achieve his dream to be a reality. He used to be a dance instructor before the pandemic and his Starbucks job has been a way to support his passions and to pursue dance lessons.
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