Latest news with #JamalBryant
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First Target, now Dollar General: Why Dr. Jamal Bryant is asking for people to boycott the company
After he announced a consumer boycott of all Target stores, New Birth Cathedral Pastor, Dr. Jamal Bryant, has now started a new boycott against discount store giant Dollar General. Bryant started the Target boycott earlier this year after the retail giant rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in step with an executive order by President Donald Trump. Now, he is asking people to boycott Dollar General because they have done away with their DEI programs as well. 'What is your ask?' Channel 2's Audrey Washington asked Bryant on Friday. 'We're asking several things. One is a revisitation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. That they will be in partnership with Black farmers and vendors, and that there will be an investment into the Black community,' Bryant said. Bryant said he hopes the Dollar General boycott will pressure executives and shareholders to change course. TRENDING STORIES: 'The Wire' actor says his son was 'thrown 300 feet' from their home in Henry County tornado A trip to a GA Burger King's drive-thru led to a high school graduate's dream he never saw coming Grandfather dies saving twin granddaughters from falling tree limb in Dacula 'This is what we are calling the summer of discontent,' Bryant said. 'We're asking people to call, and email, and post on social media if that is their only option. If they are in other areas, we are asking them to walk away.' Washington emailed the Dollar General corporation about the boycott. A spokesperson sent her a statement, saying: 'Our mission is not 'Serving Some Others' – it is simply 'Serving Others.' We are proud to serve millions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life in our 20,500+ stores, offering everyday necessities at affordable prices, often in areas that other retailers have chosen not to serve. Likewise, we are proud to offer our employees respect and opportunity in a work environment built on the dignity and differences of each unique individual. We continuously evolve our programs in support of the long-term interests of our customers, employees, and shareholders.' 'Only 2% of their executives are people of color. They get somewhere in the orbit of $40 billion a year in profit, yet they have never given to a HBCU or an organization or given to a Black movement,' Bryant said. The boycott is slated to run from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Truck carrying hazardous materials overturns, evacuation ordered in Douglas County
The Douglas County government issued an evacuation notice after a semi-truck carrying hazardous materials overturned on Wilson Road. Officials said the area between Highway 5 and Tyree Road is closed in both directions and emergency response crews are already on the scene. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Anyone within a half-mile of the location is being ordered to evacuate immediately for their safety, both residents and businesses. The county has opened a temporary evacuation location at the Dog River Library at 6100 Highway 5. County officials urge residents and drivers to avoid the area and follow directions from emergency personnel and do not try to come back until an official all-clear is given. TRENDING STORIES: 'The Wire' actor says his son was 'thrown 300 feet' from their home in Henry County tornado A trip to a GA Burger King's drive-thru led to a high school graduate's dream he never saw coming New Birth Pastor Jamal Bryant calls for boycott against Dollar General [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Black America Web
a day ago
- Business
- Black America Web
Pastor Jamal Bryant Calls For Electronic Boycott of Dollar General For DEI Rollbacks
Source: Bossip/Getty Images After a months-long boycott of Target over the rollback of DEI initiatives, Pastor Jamal Bryant now calls for a boycott of another major retailer. The pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church revealed exclusively to USA Today that he is calling for an electronic boycott of Dollar General, saying that the company had 'walked away from DEI.' 'Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,' Bryant said. 'We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General.' RELATED: Unlike the Target boycotts, Bryant is not calling for his congregation to stop shopping at the store because 'a lot of our family members in rural communities are at the hands of Dollar General because of food deserts that bring a whole other conversation.' Instead, Bryant is calling for a massive campaign consisting of mass telephone calls, emails, and the use of social media to pressure Dollar General to reinstate its DEI initiatives. 'Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,' Bryant said. 'Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn't just a corporate retreat − it's a betrayal of the people they profit from.' Bryant's group is calling for the retailer to restore and strengthen DEI infrastructure, create a community reinvestment fund, expand contracts to Black-owned vendors, and address systemic racism within the company. The new boycott follows a long-standing boycott of Target stores, which was prompted by its decision to roll back DEI initiatives. On May 25, New Birth and more than 50 other Black churches around the country organized peaceful protests outside Target stores to coincide with the 5th anniversary of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis. The effort was a continuation of a 'Target Fast' to pressure the Minnesota-based retailer to reinstate the DEI initiatives it launched following Floyd's death. Since that boycott began, Newsweek reports a 3 percent drop in Target's sales compared to the first quarter of last year. CEO Brian Cornell admits that the drop is due to 'ongoing pressure in our discretionary business, plus five consecutive months of declining consumer confidence, tariff uncertainty and the reaction to the updates we shared on belonging in January.' SEE ALSO Pastor Jamal Bryant Calls For Electronic Boycott of Dollar General For DEI Rollbacks was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Birth Pastor Jamal Bryant calls for boycott against Dollar General
Pastor Jamal Bryant is calling for a nationwide boycott of Dollar General stores, urging the retailer to do more than just operate in underserved communities, but to invest in them as well. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Pastor Bryant explained that this latest boycott effort is a follow-up to his recent campaign against Target. However, he says this time the approach will be different. 'We chose Dollar General because, quite frankly, they're three times larger than Target and Walmart combined, and have never given to any organization within the Black community,' Bryant said. TRENDING STORIES: Tornado touches down in Henry County, 18-year-old critically injured Here are Todd and Julie Chrisley's pardons signed by President Donald Trump Rose Mutombo says celebration of life for husband Dikembe is for 'everybody, from all walks of life' Rather than encouraging people to avoid stores altogether, Bryant is asking supporters to take action online by calling, emailing, and posting on social media, especially in urban areas. He emphasized that in many rural communities, Dollar General is the only retail option for miles. 'For those communities where that is their only option, we don't want to cause further damage,' Bryant said. 'But in urban areas, we're asking them to stay away and for everybody to call and to email and to use social media just as we did with Target.' Bryant says the goal is not to drive Dollar General out of communities, but to push the company to become a meaningful partner within them. WSB Radio's Ashley Simmons and Michelle Wright contributed to this story. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pastor Jamal Bryant calls for Dollar General protests after Target boycott
The Brief Rev. Jamal Bryant is calling for a massive electronic protest against Dollar General over the company's rollback of diversity initiatives. The pastor previously led a boycott of Target that spread from a 40-day fast to a national consumer movement. Bryant is not calling for a full boycott, citing Dollar General's locations in food deserts. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Metro Atlanta megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant is shifting his focus to another retailer after a months-long boycott of Target over corporate rollbacks of diversity initiatives. In an interview with USA Today, the pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church said that he is calling for an electronic protest of Dollar General. The backstory In February, Bryant took to the pulpit to urge his congregants to boycott Target to show the company the impact of Black consumers. That 40-day "fast" for Lent has expanded to a full boycott that has spread to churches across the country. On Sunday, Bryant led a peaceful prayer protest outside a Target store in Conyers to honor the anniversary of the police killing of George Floyd. Target has faced declining sales, with company leadership citing a range of factors, including tariffs and economic pressures. A spokesperson told Business Insider that the company remains committed to fostering inclusivity for all customers. What they're saying On Wednesday, Bryant announced that he was going to put pressure on Dollar General, saying that the company had "walked away from DEI." "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA Today. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." Instead of a boycott, Bryant is asking supporters to flood the company's email accounts, phone lines, and social media. "Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives," Bryant said. "Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn't just a corporate retreat − it's a betrayal of the people they profit from." Bryant said that he is not calling for a full boycott due to there being parts of the country where the stores are the only locations where consumers can get produce. What's next Bryant said the electronic protest is beginning immediately. You can learn more about the protest here. The Source Information for this story came from a USA Today interview with Rev. Jamal Bryant and previous FOX 5 reporting.
