Black Gold previewed at a public screening on Saturday, March 17, 2007 at the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle. The screening was followed by a panel discussion and audience Q & A moderated by Melissa Noelle Green, a local educator, author, and spoken word poet.** The panel discussion marked the first time for fair trade activists and a Starbucks representative appearing together at a public screening of the documentary film in Seattle. Since the film’s screening at the Seattle International Film Festival in early June, 2006, Starbucks turned down several requests to join local grass-roots fair trade organizations for Q & A sessions. Starbucks is facing growing pressure from consumers who are opposing the company’s actions against Ethiopian coffee farmers. Since the trademark dispute with Ethiopia is publicized, the public has been expressing its discontent with the company’s business practices which happened to be incompatible with the perceived socially responsible brand. T...