The #RaceTogether meme stems from a 2015 initiative launched by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, which encouraged baristas to write the hashtag on coffee cups to stimulate discussions about race relations with customers. The campaign was met with immediate and widespread backlash online, as critics pointed out the impracticality and discomfort of discussing complex systemic issues during a busy morning coffee rush. On the internet, the meme evolved into a symbol of tone-deaf corporate PR and forced 'slacktivism.' Today, it is primarily used to satirize awkward social engineering attempts or any situation where a brand tries to be socially conscious in a way that feels unauthentic or poorly timed.