Several Black founders and brand owners are speaking out amid calls for a boycott of major retailers rolling back DEI.
This week Target joined the list of stores scaling back (or doing away completely) with their DEI efforts.
Backlash was quickly followed by calls for a boycott, leading to at least one organization, We Are Somebody, planning one slated to begin on February 1. Initially, it was supposed to be a total ban on the store, although the organization has since updated the terms of the boycott to permit consumers to still shop from diverse brands.
In the days since, businesses owned by Black and brown folks and/or women stocked by the retailer have been pleading with consumers not to boycott. Since the Minneapolis-based retailer set a goal in 2022 to invest over $2 billion to get over 500 Black-owned brands in its store by 2025, hundreds have come into the fold.
According to Reuters, the retailer is on track to meet that goal as there are plenty of Black-owned brands at Target across all departments, including hair and beauty, grocery, home goods, and office supplies. Major brands include Tracee Ellis Ross’ haircare line Pattern, Gabrielle Union’s Proudly baby care items, Ghetto Gastro’s cookware and food items, Be Rooted stationary, and others.
Many of these same brands worry that a total boycott of Target could severely hurt their sales and adversely impact their chances of continuing business with the big box chain. Entrepreneurs and business owners who have spoken out so far include Tabitha Brown, Zoe Oli, and Melissa Butler. Below, we’ve gathered the latest responses to the backlash and calls to boycott.
Tabitha Brown
One of the first to speak out was actress and vegan guru Tabitha Brown, who has had multiple collections at Target in various departments, including swimwear, grocery, and home goods since 2022. She called the move from Target “disheartening” and “definitely heartbreaking,” before urging consumers to consider what a boycott could mean for Black businesses.
“So many of us would be affected,” she said in a video uploaded to Instagram. “Our sales would drop and our businesses would be hurt. And if any of you know business, it doesn’t just happen overnight.”
Afro Unicorn
April Showers, the founder of Afro Unicorn, a product that can be found in the store’s toy department, echoed others’ sentiments when she urged consumers to still shop Black- and brown-owned businesses within the retailer.
“Target is about money,” she told Reuters. “Target is not going to remove any of our products if they’re performing well, so we’re saying be strategic with your dollar.”
Beautiful Curly Me
The youngest business owner in the toy category — Zoe Oli, owner of the Beautiful Curly Me doll — has also joined the chorus pleading with consumers to consider the impact of a boycott.
“Family, Don’t let them erase us,” began the caption of a post on the brand’s Instagram page. “Your support is needed now more than ever for us and other #blackowned businesses at Target. We have worked so hard and spent so much to be here- and we need your support to be successful in retail so we can scale and someday have our own. The news from Target and others is sad, frustrating and so disheartening but please let’s rally together and be intentional with what we purchase at these retailers. Numbers do not lie. Our sales performance is what will help us grow and expand. Our voices matter and we belong on shelf just like those other multi-million dollar brands.”
She added, “I’m the youngest CEO in my category at Target, and I don’t want to be the last.”
HoneyPot
HoneyPot, a popular feminine hygiene and care brand at Target led by Beatrice Dixon, took a less direct approach by responding to the boycott and backlash in an Instagram post, seemingly agreeing with the popular attitudes among consumers.
“We understand and share the disappointment over the recent DEI rollbacks from our long-time retail partners,” the lengthy post began. “As a Black-founded and led brand, we remain committed to inclusivity and the elevation of all minority and/or marginalized communities, continuing our work in education, care, and community programming.”
In the post’s caption, the brand said they were working to determine what this means for their community and thanked their consumers for their trust and support.
The Lip Bar
Melissa Butler, founder and CEO of The Lip Bar, has also voiced her thoughts following the news. In a video posted to her Instagram followers, the CEO said she was disappointed but not surprised.
“I think part of it is because Trump is emboldening companies to reverse commitments that they never wanted to make in the first place. And that is not just true for Target. I think it’s true for a lot of companies,” she explained.
Butler also suggested another potential reason for the rollbacks: “A lot of the brands that they launched didn’t do well.”
Mented Cosmetics
In a video post of her own, K.J. Miller, founder of Mented Cosmetics, called Target and other major retailers’ decision to roll back DEI “shortsighted” and “bad for business.” She also supported those who wanted to boycott by noting that she didn’t “begrudge” anyone who did or did not want to boycott.
“Diversity and inclusion is good for business. There have been plenty of studies to show this. When your shelves represent your consumers and when your boardrooms represent your consumers, you do better business for those consumers,” she said.
The Doux
Maya Smith, founder of The Doux, a haircare brand currently sold in Target, also contributed her thoughts to the conversation in a lengthy post on the brand’s Instagram. In her post, Smith asked shoppers to consider how a boycott could impact Black businesses. She also warned against jumping to conclusions about any of your favorite brands who have not said anything.
“For clarity, this message is not intended to dismiss the value of boycotting,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “I believe in its power as a collective action. However, I don’t think it’s the best course of action in this specific scenario. That said, I respect the right of every customer to shop The Doux where you feel valued.”
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