Starbucks baristas are being encouraged to shout 'black lives matter' in stores

Starbucks baristas have found themselves at the center of another race debate.

One year after Starbucks' failed "race together" campaign that encouraged baristas to discuss racial tension with customers, employees are now being encouraged to shout "black lives matter" in stores.

This time, however, it's customers - not the company - that are encouraging baristas to get involved.

Starbucks customers across the US have been telling baristas that their names are "black lives matter," so the baristas shout "black lives matter" when their drinks are ready, the Huffington Post reports.

The idea appears to have originated with Facebook user Lex Cross, who posted a photo of his Starbucks receipt on Thursday with the name "black lives matter." The post has since been shared more than 47,000 times.

Tons of customers across the country are now changing their names at Starbucks to promote the black lives matter movement, which campaigns against violence toward black people, and sharing their experiences online.

"So since I'm a regular at Starbucks I changed my name and luckily enough the barista that made my drink was proud to call out #blacklivesmatter," one person wrote on Instagram.

But the trick didn't go as planned for customer Genevieve Uzamere at a Starbucks in New York City, Mic reports.

Uzamere was allegedly told that she couldn't be served under the name "black lives matter" because the employee serving her wasn't comfortable with it.

"Starbucks does not take a stance on racial matters," Uzamere was told, according to her account of the experience on The Ratchette.

Uzamere criticized Starbucks' response.

"Is the value of a life a racial matter?" Uzamere wrote. "Is simply acknowledging that black lives are worth something such a cause for controversy?"

Starbucks didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.