A Georgia pastor is calling for a “full Target boycott” over the company’s decision to end its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
The Rev. Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Ga., said his goal is to convince the corporation to reinstate policies geared toward advancing racial equity, including supporting career development for Black employees and bolstering the use of Black-owned brands and businesses.
Target was one of the first companies to expand DEI initiatives in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder by police in Minneapolis, where the business is headquartered. The company set an objective to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025, which it fell short of achieving.
“They said they were going to invest in Black communities. They said it — not us,” Bryant said during a town hall in the church’s sanctuary, according to The Washington Informer.
“Now they want to break those promises quietly. That ends tonight.”
Target CEO Brian Cornell recently asked to meet with Al Sharpton, who leads the National Action Network (NAN), after Sharpton reportedly urged Black consumers to avoid shopping at companies that have ended their DEI initiatives.
Bryant first launched a “40 day fast” of Target for Lent in March, hoping to gain the company’s attention. But he says results did not materialize and is calling on other Black leaders to encourage people to protest the company’s new policies.
Target also told The Hill they are working to create a “welcoming” environment for team members, guests and suppliers.
“We remain focused on supporting organizations and creating opportunities for people in the 2,000 communities where we live and operate,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Hill.
Former NAACP President Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., U.S. Black Chambers President Ron Busby and others have joined in the fight urging the company to uphold their promise to Black communities.
“They played on our sympathies in 2020. But now we know better,” Bryant said during the town hall. “And now, we move.”
The pastor has also launched a website for those interested in following their call to action.
“Silence and delay are no longer acceptable. Our communities deserve action, not platitudes. Our demands are not radical — they are righteous, reasonable, and long overdue,” Bryant wrote in a statement on the site.
“It is vital to remember: this boycott is a coalition effort. It is not about any single individual, personality, or public figure. It is about people. It is about power. It is about principle.”
This story was updated at 3:42 p.m.
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