Today, March 5, marks the beginning of the 40-day Target consumer boycott, a campaign prompted by the company’s departure from its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Rev. Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia is one of the notable Black voices speaking out against the company.
“Black people spend upwards of $12 million a day, and so we would expect some loyalty, some decency and some camaraderie,” Bryant told CNN.
Many people viewed Target’s rollback of its DEI initiatives as an affront. As a result, many are following Bryant’s lead. The well-known pastor is calling for Black consumers to send a message using their economic buying power.
“We’re asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community,” Bryant said.
When
President Donald Trump began his second term in office, he quickly called for the end of DEI at the federal level. Since then, many companies have eliminated DEI programs, Target has been a focal point for boycotts.
One of Trump’s executive orders, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” was passed Jan. 22, days after Trump took office.
Target announced its intent to
follow the federal government’s lead on Jan. 24, negating its 2020 pledge to increase diversity by 20%. During civil unrest over police brutality against Black citizens, the company introduced its Racial Equity Action and Change Initiative.,“We are really committed to building a team that represents our guests, that increases advancement opportunities and also reduces turnover for our team members of color,” Melissa Kremer, Target’s chief human resources officer, told USA Today.
It appears the company no longer supports that advancement.
Customer displeasure is showing in Target’s bottom line. According to CNN, the company has seen a drastic decrease in profit in its first quarter and estimates only a 1% growth in sales for 2025.
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