We are following the February 28th boycott closely. We are also following the media coverage.
We support the boycott. The original goal was to boycott Target Corporation, a major retailer which suspended it’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on January, 24th, 2025. Target had previously committed to spending $2 billion with the Black community in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Target was one of the first major retail corporations to pull back. Other companies such as Walmart, Facebook, and Amazon quickly followed.
Other corporations have publicly declared their continuation of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs including Costco, Ben & Jerry’s, Delta Airlines, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and Apple.
The boycott has since expanded, especially on social media. The main promoter of the boycott is The People’s Union USA, but other progressive and religious groups are supporting the effort. . Among groups supporting the boycott are: former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, entertainer Leslie Jones, personal finance expert Tiffany Aliche (The Budgetnista), New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant who runs Targetfast.org, and waresomebody.org.
There is concern that the boycott may do more harm than good. Some Black companies are worried that they have finally gotten on Target’s shelves only to find they are hurt by the boycott. Tabitha Brown posted on Instagram that Black people needed to take a more nuanced approach. Many Black businesses don’t see the lost revenue being made up by online sales.
The National Action Network(NAN) said they will announce two companies as boycott targets during their national convention in April. The NAN, The NAACP, and the National Urban League did not take a position on the boycott.
Others have noted that the boycott lacks specific goals beyond public support for DEI programs. Some have questioned the goals and motives of the People’s Union USA group.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are complex. They include training, guidance on hiring and promotions, career ladders, marketing programs, recruitment, and supplier diversity programs. The money spent on actual internal corporate programs is small, but supplier diversity spending is a large part. The goal of diversity, equity and inclusion programs is to increase opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Having a DEI program indicates a company believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to the company and can help them make profits. It also signals a company cares about its employees and public image.
Blacks are 13% of the US population, Hispanics are 23%
One of the first Boycotts was operation bread basket in 1962, which was designed to increase the opportunities for Black people. It was found on the the principles of Leon Sullivan who started a boycott in Philadelphia.
Summary
The boycott is useful for several reasons: it is a public show of support for a diverse and inclusive workforce. It shows consumer power over an important issue and how much media coverage they can generate. And finally, it is a test of how much consumers can actually affect corporate policy.
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Notes: We almost always use diversity, equity, and inclusion rather than the abbreviation DEI. “DEI” has become shorthand for “Black” or “progressive” ideas of economic social Justice. The abbreviation has become another tool to diminish fairness and progress.
Many anti-DEI advocates argue for “merit”, but never define merit. What does merit look like in practice? “They know it when they see it.” But the real question is: who gets to define merit and how is it measured? Merit is really being used as a lazy way to justifiy continued historical discrimination.
Economic Blackout: Will a 24-hour boycott make a difference? (AP News)
Al Sharpton will announce National Action Network boycott targets at the convention in April (North Dallas Gazette)
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