Dear,

Today is Black Friday, the second busiest shopping day of the entire year. 

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is hoping to make billions of dollars between today and Cyber Monday, off of the work of thousands of warehouse employees across the country.  

Warehouse workers at Amazon are twice as likely to be injured on the job than those in similar jobs.(1) Coronavirus cases are spiking but Amazon has ended its hazard pay and still does not have significant paid sick leave.(2) And while Bezos has made $70 billion since the start of the pandemic, warehouse employees in California aren't being paid wages competitive to where they live.(3)

We're encouraging everyone to shop local this Black Friday and Cyber Monday in order to support local businesses and send a strong message to Bezos that we won't support his exploitation of warehouse workers. 

Will you change your profile picture to our #BlackOutBezos image from today through Cyber Monday and help convince others to shop local?

Here are instructions for how to change your profile picture for various social medias:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Snapchat

And just a reminder, here is what we’re asking of you:

1. Sign our pledge to boycott Amazon on November 27 and 30 -- Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Instead, check out local businesses and Black Lives Matter's Black Xmas shopping page, and take advantage of local stores’ delivery and curbside pickup options.
2. Share our #BlackOutBezos images (like the one above!) and our pledge form on social media and encourage your friends and family to shop local this season.
3. Let your circles know about your favorite local shops, restaurants, and artisans they should visit and support instead of shopping Amazon by sharing our blog and social media posts.

This holiday season, you can stand in courage and support your neighbors while sending a strong message to Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos: Stop exploiting for profit! Be sure to #BlackOutBezos this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Will you change your profile picture to our #BlackOutBezos image?

Yours in the fight against corporate power,

Irene, along with Angela, Annie, Caitlin, Deepthi, Gabby, Jay, Lindsay, Molly, Raquel, and Scottie (the Courage team)

Footnotes:
1. https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/amazon-responds-accusations-about-warehouse-worker-safety-shows-covid-19-changes/4Z664MLBDFAF3ASZ5SRKM4JDXU/
2. https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-cuts-2-dollar-hazard-pay-bezos-150-billion-2020-6
3. https://observer.com/2020/07/billionaire-net-worth-gain-pandemic-amazon-tesla-facebook/#:~:text=Amazon%20CEO%20Jeff%20Bezos%2C%20for,business%20during%20the%20nationwide%20lockdown.