Michaels declares it is Open to All®; Pledges to serve everyone on the same terms

(Irving, TX) June 20, 2019—Today, the Michaels Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIK), the largest arts and crafts retail chain in North America, announced it is joining Open to All®, the nationwide public engagement campaign to build understanding and discussion about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. 

“We are proud to join Open to All® and build on Michaels longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Holly Shaskey-Platek, senior vice president of human resources for the Michaels Companies. “We’re dedicated to making Michaels a fun and supportive place to work, as well as a great place to shop. Whether it’s how we treat our team members or how we serve our customers, we know that our business and communities are stronger when we are united.”  

Michaels signed the Open to All® business pledge and stated their commitment to maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for people—including team members, visitors, customers, vendors and clients—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion or disability. They pledged to not discriminate against any individuals or deny them goods or services based on any of these characteristics.   

Michaels joins Gap Inc., Old Navy, Yelp, Levi Strauss & Co., Airbnb, Lyft, Marriott, as well as nearly 5,000 businesses and nonprofits, in partnering with Open to All®. To welcome all customers, Michaels stores will also feature the Open to All® window cling in over 1,100 stores across the United States and Canada. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Michaels to Open to All®,” said Calla Rongerude, Open to All® campaign manager. “Not only is Michaels signing the pledge and taking action in over 1,100 stores, they are fully committing to changing the conversation about what it means to be a leader in the craft industry—and that means serving and welcoming everyone. We need strong leadership now, more than ever, and Michaels is answering the call. We call on customers to answer in kind by supporting businesses like Michaels that are open to all, not just some.” 

Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality.  

Businesses who take the Open to All® business pledge are featured publicly on the Open to All® website. Open to All® has also teamed up with Yelp and is encouraging businesses that have a Yelp page to activate the new “Open to All” attribute to show customers that their business is Open to All®. In addition to business coalition, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more.  

Businesses can sign the Open to All® business pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-pledge. 

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Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to the nearly 5,000 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. www.opentoall.com  

The Michaels Companies, Inc. is North America’s largest specialty provider of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, and seasonal merchandise for Makers and do-it-yourself home decorators. The Company operates more than 1,250 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada. Additionally, the Company serves customers through a variety of digital platforms including Michaels.com, consumercrafts.com and aaronbrothers.com. The Michaels Companies, Inc., also owns Artistree, a manufacturer of high quality custom and specialty framing merchandise, and Darice, a premier wholesale distributor in the craft, gift and decor industry. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit www.michaels.com or download the Michaels app.

New PSA by Open to All® encourages businesses to be welcoming, inclusive

(Boulder, CO), June 17, 2019—During a time when hate crimes and discrimination are on the rise, businesses and nonprofits are coming together across the country to publicly support the core American values of hospitality and inclusion—and to let their customers and employees know that everyone is welcome. The powerful new public service announcement (PSA), “Three Words,” is produced by Open to All®, the nationwide public education campaign to build understanding and discussion about the importance of protecting people from discrimination—and the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

“Three Words” refers to a new way for organizations to share their appreciation for their customers, clients, supporters, and employees. In this case, the three words are “open to all,” which means businesses have pledged to be welcoming to all, no matter who you are or where you come from, including people of color, people with disabilities, people of minority faiths, LGBT people, and others. It also refers to businesses that have joined the nationwide Open to All® campaign.

Click here to watch the ad.

“No one should have to worry about whether they will be denied service or face hostility as they go about their daily lives,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “Yet, all too often we hear stories of discrimination happening all over the country: from people of color facing abuse and violence in a diner, a gay couple being kicked out of an Uber, Muslim women ordered to leave a café, or people with disabilities being harassed in a restaurant. It’s crucial that businesses help put an end to discrimination and send a message that they welcome everyone.”

The Open to All® coalition includes a growing movement of nearly 5,000 businesses large and small across the United States, and over 200 nonprofits including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, UNIDOS, the Anti-Defamation League, NAACP-LDF, and the ACLU. Businesses that take the Open to All® pledge agree to maintain a welcoming and safe environment for people—including employees, visitors, customers, vendors, and clients—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion, or disability–and to not discriminate against any individuals or deny them services based on these characteristics.

The ad closes with shop owners saying, “Businesses saying loud and clear we’re open to all. Treating everyone fairly. Serving everyone—on the same terms. Join us. Let’s create an America where everyone is welcome, and where businesses are Open to All®.”

View the PSA at http://www.opentoall.com/three-words/

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Open to All® is one of the most significant public education efforts to date that unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for the shared American values of fairness and equality. In addition to the nearly 4,000 business members, Open to All® includes more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more. Open to All® members are committed to building awareness and understanding about the importance of nondiscrimination—and to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®. www.opentoall.com

San Francisco Proclaims It Is “Open to All”

Businesses and Elected Officials Across San Francisco Pledge to Take a Stand Against Discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Calla Rongerude, Campaign Manager, Open to All® calla@opentoall.com | 415.205.2420

Clair Farley, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Executive Director, Office of Transgender Initiatives clair.farley@sfgov.org | 415.671.3071

(San Francisco, March 12, 2019)—Today, the city of San Francisco issued an official proclamation declaring it is an Open to All® city, pledging to welcome everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, immigration status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability. Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman announced via an official proclamation that the city was joining the national Open to All® public education campaign. Open to All® unites and galvanizes national leaders in business, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector to take a stand for the shared American values of fairness and equality—and supports the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

To commemorate the occasion, Mayor Breed and Supervisor Mandelman hosted a kick-off event in Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro District of San Francisco featuring elected officials from across the city, community leaders, and business owners who have signed the Open to All® business pledge.

“San Francisco has a long history of standing united to advance the national dialogue around acceptance, civil rights, and human rights,” said Mayor London N. Breed. “The Open to All® campaign is about reinforcing our values and stating that no matter who you are, where you have come from, or who you love, you are welcome here in San Francisco.”

In addition to Yelp, which debuted an “Open to All” attribute in July 2018, Open to All® includes national business leaders such as Gap Inc., Marriott International Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., and Lyft, as well as nearly 4,000 businesses large and small across the country. Open to All® also includes nonprofit leaders such as the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, MALDEF, the Anti-Defamation League, NAACP-LDF, and the ACLU; and, more than 200 nonprofit members spanning civil rights and racial justice organizations; LGBT equality organizations; health and disability organizations; faith organizations; and more.

“By joining Open to All®, the City of San Francisco is continuing its leadership in diversity and inclusion,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “Civic and businesses leaders are committing to make residents and visitors alike feel safe and welcome regardless of who they are.”

The Open to All® campaign, in partnership with the City of San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development and the San Francisco Department of Transgender Initiatives, Mayor London Breed, and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman are calling on businesses across the city to sign the Open to All® business pledge and join the effort. Businesses that take the pledge are featured publicly on the Open to All® website.

“I am proud to say that Paper Tree has always been an ‘Open to All’ business,” said Linda Mihara, owner of Paper Tree, a small business in San Francisco. “Since we opened in 1968, we’ve celebrated the diversity of both Japantown and the Fillmore. For these 50 plus years, we have enjoyed introducing origami to San Francisco and the world—an art form that knows no racial or gender boundaries. We welcome all who visit this wonderful city to come to Japantown and visit Paper Tree, one of San Francisco’s Legacy Businesses!”

Mayor Breed and Supervisor Mandelman joined elected officials across the city to support Open to All®. In addition, Supervisor Mandelman encouraged his fellow supervisors to vote to approve a resolution declaring San Francisco is Open to All® at tonight’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting.

“San Francisco has a proud reputation as a city welcoming to all in search of acceptance, refuge, and opportunity,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “But even in cities like ours with strong nondiscrimination laws in place, people continue to face hostility in everyday situations. Nobody should have to fear being denied service at a restaurant or a safe ride home just because of who they are. By declaring our city Open to All®, we are sending a strong message that discrimination will not be tolerated here.”

Businesses can join Open to All® and sign the pledge at www.opentoall.com/business-pledge.

Click here or more information about the San Francisco kick-off event. 

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Open to All® Launch National Partnership with Elected Officials and Businesses to Fight Discrimination

November 13, 2018—New York City, NY—In an expansion of a nationwide public education campaign, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Open to All® today announced the launch of a taskforce of elected leaders from around the country, as businesses from all over New York City commit to serving everyone on equal terms, regardless of who they are. Open to All® is a coalition that unites leaders in business, civic engagement, and the non-profit sector across the United States to build support for nondiscrimination and defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All®.

Comptroller Stringer also announced that fifteen lawmakers from around the country, including Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland and Mayor Catherine Pugh of Baltimore, have joined him in supporting Open to All®. Comptroller Stringer’s taskforce, Local Electeds Against Discrimination (LEAD), is a national network of elected leaders who support Open to All® and are also taking a stand for nondiscrimination protections in their cities and states. The LEAD taskforce brings together local elected officials from across the country to share model nondiscrimination policies, strategies for encouraging businesses to pledge to be Open to All®, and ideas for bringing together local communities to oppose discrimination.

“Diversity is our nation’s greatest asset and putting policies in place to fight discrimination moves us one step closer to becoming a more just, thriving country,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “We have seen too many instances where people have been turned away because of who they are – it’s discriminatory and it has to end now. That starts with government leaders taking a stand and advocating for policies that reflect our values of inclusion. I’m honored to stand with elected officials across the United States to ensure that businesses in every corner of our nation are open to all.”

By signing the Open to All® Elected Officials Pledge and joining the LEAD Taskforce, lawmakers agree to:

  • Take a stand for nondiscrimination in their city or state and work to create a welcoming and safe environment for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or disability.
  • Oppose discrimination against individuals or denial of goods or services based on any of these characteristics, and to work to ensure businesses provide all goods and services to everyone on the same terms.

The announcement that New York City is Open to All® is also supported by Gap Inc., which recently signed on to the Open to All® business pledge at over 2,300 Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix stores across the country, spanning all 50 states, including 190 stores in the state of New York. Last month, Gap Inc. joined Yelp, Marriott International Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, as well as more than 1,500 small businesses and 200 nonprofits, in partnering with Open to All®.

“Open to All® and the work of the LEAD Taskforce is critical in this current environment,” said Open to All® Campaign Manager Calla Rongerude. “We have heard from gay couples who are afraid to stop at restaurants on a cross-country drive, or people of color who are afraid to linger too long over a cup of coffee. People want to know where they will be safe and welcome. Open to All® is very simple. It’s a public declaration that a business will treat people fairly—and a promise that if someone isn’t treated fairly that the business will take that seriously. It’s also a pledge to fight back against discrimination in communities across the United States. We’re inspired to see businesses like Gap Inc. and elected officials like Comptroller Stringer leading the charge and making a commitment to inclusion.”

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The Open to All® coalition is a coalition of over 200 organizations including civil rights and racial justice organizations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations and community centers, health and advocacy organizations, and faith organizations—plus a rapidly growing number of businesses—that believe in the basic principle that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to everyone, on the same terms. Learn more at www.OpentoAll.com