Pastor Jamal Bryant has called for a 40-day economic fast against Target over the retailer’s cutback on DEI.
The Senior Pastor at New Birth Baptist Church in Metro Atlanta announced the plans during Sunday Service on Feb. 2. Joined by Ron Busby, President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., the two communal leaders hope to emphasize this unified stance against the removal of DEI efforts that greatly impact Black businesses and professionals.
In the press release obtained by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Bryant urged for 100,000
Black supporters to join the movement. The fast would take place from March 3 to April 19, around the same time as Lent. It will serve as a response to the Target’s willingness to scale back its policies directly benefitting minorities.“Dr. Bryant’s FAST calls for immediate action: he is urging Black consumers to halt all purchases from Target and to divest any stock holdings in the company,” detailed the news release. “This aligns with the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who championed economic restraint as a powerful form of protest during the Civil Rights Movement. Just as Dr. King and other civil rights leaders leveraged economic boycotts to challenge injustice, this FAST is a call for Black consumers to use their collective spending power to demand accountability from corporations.”
The presser also claimed that Black people account for $23 million of Target’s daily revenue. With this in mind, the company’s willingness to take away programs and plans for greater equity in the workspace suggests it does not value the Black dollar, leading Bryant to encourage social action in this way.
However, Bryant noted that Black-owned brands in Target, including Tabitha Brown, will face issue. Although Brown initially voiced
that a boycott would severely harm businesses like hers, the pastor emphasized that this fast will serve these entrepreneurs in the long run. Furthermore, Bryant and the U.S. Black Chambers will send a directory of 250K Black-owned businesses to support for all “fasting” from Target.According to the civil rights advocate, companies cannot uplift and support businesses only when it best serves them. If these retailers are truly committed to racial equity and justice, they must continue long-lasting efforts for the cause. Bryant hopes that this economic fast will remind Target and other retailers that Black people are committed to supporting companies that genuinely support them.
Those who want to participate can sign up at Targetfast.org. Participants will also receive a 30-day devotional to inspire them as they join the cause for justice.
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