It would be difficult for me to love Ben & Jerry’s any more than I do, but they’re making an argument nonetheless. From fun flavors—including the popularizing of chocolate chip cookie dough—to fun facts, like that co-founder Ben Cohen has no sense of smell and almost no sense of taste and that’s why their ice creams have so many textures, the Vermont-based company has certainly made a name for themselves based on the merit of their output alone. But the work they do outside the pint is even better.
And their mission to make the world a better place for all continues with their latest offering. Made in collaboration with the Movement for Black Lives, Ben & Jerry’s new Change Is Brewing features BLK & Bold cold brew and hopes to raise awareness for the People’s Response Act (PRA).
A limited batch ice cream, Change Is Brewing is a base of cold brew ice cream—made with cold brew from BLK & Bold, the Des Moines, Iowa-based coffee roaster created by Rod Johnson and Pernell Cezar that is one of the biggest Black-owned coffee brands in the country—with a mix of marshmallow swirls and fudge brownie bits. The eye-catching design of the pint was created by LA-based multi-disciplinary artist Laci Jordan.
And more than just a fun flavor to celebrate the works of Black creatives, Change Is Brewing seeks to bring about social change by raising awareness for the People’s Response Act, new legislation sponsored by Representative Cori Bush of Missouri that “focuses on a health-based and inclusive approach to public safety.” At the heart of the proposal is the notion that public safety is a public health issue and that radical changes to the ways communities—particularly Black and Brown communities—are policed are the only real means to repairing those communities and restoring their faith in them.
The PRA work towards these ends by sending unarmed licensed professionals—instead of police—to assist individuals health-related crises as well as invest in preventative care programs for experiencing mental illness, substance abuse issues, and other health issues. In concrete terms, if passed, the PRA would create a public safety division as part of the Department of Health and Human Services, launch a federal first responders unit to aid local and state government with health crises, invest in research for alternative approaches to public safety, provide $7.5 billion in grants to fund public safety response initiatives country-wide, and give out $2.5 billion in First Responder Hiring Grants to create jobs.
On the Ben & Jerry’s Change Is Brewing page, there’s even a place where you can fill out your information and have an email sent to your representative on your behalf requesting they support the PRA.
To learn more about the People’s Response Act, visit their official website. To find out more about Change Is Brewing or where you can find some near you, visit Ben & Jerry’s official website.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
