Latest news with #TargetBoycott
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Why Black church leaders are boycotting Target on anniversary of George Floyd's murder
Why Black church leaders are boycotting Target on anniversary of George Floyd's murder Show Caption Hide Caption Consumer Boycotts target DEI retreats—are they working? What we know. Consumer boycotts are targeting companies like Amazon and Target, who've rolled back DEI initiatives, but are they working? Here's what we know. Black faith leaders are organizing protests at Target stores nationwide on May 25th, the anniversary of George Floyd's murder. The protests aim to pressure Target to reinstate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs cut earlier this year. Boycotts and negative public perception have impacted Target's reputation and financial performance. Leaders in the Black faith community who have called upon their followers to boycott Target have announced a series of peaceful protests outside of Target stores on May 25 – the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, said his church will protest outside a Target in Conyers, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Sixty-seven churches across the country will hold additional protests, he said during a May 18 church service. The protests are part of continue efforts to push Target to re-establish its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and other demands by organizers of what was originally called the Target Fast and is now called the Target Boycott, said Bryant, an activist and author. Target is headquartered in Minneapolis where Floyd died and after his death, the retailer made a pledge to the Black community to boost efforts in inclusion, Bryant said in an interview with USA TODAY. But since then, Target has fallen in the eyes of many in the Black community, Bryant said. "They made this pledge not under political duress, not in response to protest, but we thought out of conscious and clean hands," Bryant said. Target CEO Brian Cornell met with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton on April 17 to discuss the boycotts. Sharpton called the meeting "constructive and candid" and said he would "inform our allies, including Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, of our discussion." Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment. What is the Target boycott? Soon after President Donald Trump took office in late January, Target announced it would end programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Initiatives axed include a program aimed at increasing representation of Black employees, as well as a commitment to source more products from Black-owned businesses. Target said it had already planned to end the programs, which it sets in three-year cycles. Target is among more than 30 major retailers that ended DEI programs after Trump issued an executive order requiring both federal government and private companies to end "illegal DEI" efforts, although the difference between those and legal anti-discrimination efforts remains unclear. Target has faced pushback from consumers upset with the DEI rollback. A national Target boycott in honor of Black History Month began Feb. 1, led by Minnesota activists. The ongoing Latino Freeze movement asks Latinos to stop spending money at Target and other major retailers that cut DEI. A 40-day boycott during Lent led by Black church leaders ended April 17. From Apple to Costco: These 18 companies are keeping DEI programs Are the Target boycotts working? Here's what Target said The boycotts have damaged Target's reputation, which the company acknowledged in its most recent annual report. Every publicly traded company is required to file an annual report on financial performance with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Called Form 10-K, the report includes potential risks for investors. In Target's 10-K filing for fiscal year 2024, which ended in February, the company acknowledged the potential for boycotts to harm business. "To be successful in the future, we must continue to preserve Target's reputation. Our reputation is largely based on perceptions," the document states. The form goes on to acknowledge that Target "modified and concluded" certain of its DEI initiatives, leading to "adverse reactions" from some shareholders, customers and employees. "As a result, we may experience adverse perceptions of our business, consumer boycotts, litigation, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. Any of these outcomes could negatively impact our reputation, results of operations, and financial condition," the form states. Target's press office did not respond to a request for comment. Has Target lost revenue from the DEI boycotts? Target's net sales were down 2.8% compared with the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to the company's Q1 earnings report. Foot traffic, or the amount of people entering Target stores, was also down. In February 2025, the first month of boycotts, Target's foot traffic was down 9.5%, according to The week of March 31, Target's store traffic was down 7.9% compared to the previous year, Newsweek reported. In Arizona, foot traffic in March was down 7% compared to a year ago, according to Target's stock price is also down. On April 14, it hit the lowest point in five years at $94. At the end of January, the price per share was $142. Reach the reporter at Follow @reia_reports on Instagram.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tabitha Brown Claps Back At Haters: ‘No Amount Of Hate Will Stop Me From Uplifting Black Creators' As Target Boycott Impacts Authors
Emmy-winning actress, entrepreneur, and author Tabitha Brown took to Instagram to speak on the discourse surrounding her opinions on the Target boycott. On May 20, the 46-year-old internet personality dropped a video to respond to those hating on her for her previous statements, and to encourage others to combat the negative impact that the boycott is having on Black authors whose books are sold on the retailer's shelves. As a well-known advocate for Black authors, Black-owned businesses, and creatives, Brown previously warned people to be mindful of the Target boycotts, as it would negatively impact many Black authors as well as big business. The 'Donna's Recipe' hair care brand founder began by addressing the online users sending her hate messages in her recent Instagram video, 'This is my prayer for you. I pray that love finds you, true love. I pray it finds you and it holds you tight,' she began. Brown continued, 'I pray that someone will love you enough to see you, to see you when you are not well, to see you when you need true support, to see you when you need compassion, to see you when you need kindness. I pray that somebody loves you enough to sacrifice their life for you. I pray that type of love finds you so that you can understand.' Brown echoed her own sentiments in the caption of the video as well. The vegan food influencer wrote, 'To all the people in the comments and my DMS with your uneducated hate messages…There is no amount of hate and ignorance that is going to stop me from using my platform and my voice to support and uplift small businesses, Black-owned businesses, Black content creators, and Black authors.' Brown confirmed that she would not stop speaking out about the Target boycott and its impacts on Black authors and that she will continue to inspire others to find ways to support them in the deficit. 'Take it up with God because he gave me my voice, he blessed me with a platform, and I'm going to use it,' Brown concluded. Previously, Brown took a deep dive into how the Target boycott — launched at the beginning of this year in response to the retailer's rolling back its DEI initiatives under President Trump's new federal framework — has impacted the landscape of Black authorship. Brown reflected that since the beginning of the boycott, many Black authors have been struggling to get a reaction behind their books, with many people no longer shopping at Target, where they are sold. Brown explained, 'Target is a huge book retailer, right, that sells our books, and so because of the boycott, many of our black authors' books did not sell well because people were not purchasing the books because they're sold at Target. 'This affected their sales. It affected their ability to be on the New York Times bestseller list. But the bigger issue is that it also affects the next deal.' Brown encouraged people engaging in the boycott to be 'mindful' of the more nuanced repercussions of not shopping at Target, and recommended supporting these Black authors by buying through other channels to help them 'make their numbers.' Brown also directly addressed publishers on her platform, urging them to not hold the sales of their Black authors during these past months of boycott as 'truth' to their selling power. 'These numbers are not reflecting … their truth,' the actress expressed. 'They're talented writers with beautiful stories, and they're being affected by something that they did not do.' Brown has been receiving pushback ever since she spoke up in defense of Black-owned businesses and Black authors near the beginning of the Target boycott. According to previous reports, many did not receive her message to consider the Black business owners and creatives affected by the boycott kindly. RELATED CONTENT: Tabitha Brown To Uplift Small Businesses As Clover's First Chief Empowerment Officer
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder
Leaders in the Black faith community who have called upon their followers to boycott Target after its retreat from diversity, equity and inclusion programs have announced a series of peaceful protests outside of Target stores on May 25 – the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, said his church will protest outside a Target in Conyers, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Sixty-seven churches across the country will hold additional protests, he said during a May 18 church service. They are a way to continue pressuring Target to re-establish its commitment to DEI and other demands by the organizers of what was originally called the Target Fast and is now called the Target Boycott, said Bryant, an activist and author. Target is headquartered in Minneapolis where Floyd died and after his death, the retailer made a pledge to the Black community to boost efforts in inclusion, Bryant said in an interview with USA TODAY. But since then, Target has fallen in the eyes of many in the Black community, Bryant said. "They made this pledge not under political duress, not in response to protest, but we thought out of conscious and clean hands," Bryant said. Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There have been two boycotts specifically aimed at Target – one which began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month and another that started March 5 to coincide with Lent. Both were started by leaders in the Black community in response to Target's retreat from DEI initiatives and other measures of support. The first indefinite Target boycott was launched at the start of February by Minnesota activists, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. Armstrong has previously told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. A separate 40-day "Target Fast" started by Bryant began on March 5 to coincide with Lent. Since Target did not reinstate its DEI initiatives, the effort is ongoing and has been redubbed The Target Boycott. Separately, there are also ongoing consumer boycotts led by The People's Union, which organized a Feb. 28 one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and had a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze, encouraging supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. The four demands of Bryant's group include: Honor the $2 billion pledge to the Black business community that Target previously had in place, which entailed purchasing Black-owned products, services and investing in Black media. Deposit $250 million across 23 Black-owned banks to strengthen Black financial institutions. Establish community retail centers at 10 historically Black colleges and universities to educate and empower future Black entrepreneurs. Fully restore and recommit to DEI at every level of the company. On April 17, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN) met with Target CEO Brian Cornell – at Cornell's request. Sharpton has since confirmed that Bryant was in attendance at the meeting. Bryant told USA TODAY that the meeting was productive and Cornell said a commitment to re-establish the $2 billion pledge was underway and that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target or Bryant's group regarding the July 31 deadline. However, Bryant said since the other three demands have not been met, the boycott will continue. Bryant also told USA TODAY that Cornell met with President Donald Trump a few days after their meeting and Bryant had not heard from Target since, but was still expecting the July 31 pledge to happen. "I feel this has been impactful and effective," Bryant said of the initial boycott. A Target spokesperson confirmed that the retailer in January said it "will complete its $2 billion commitment to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses through its REACH program in 2025 as planned." When asked for clarification if the initiative would be re-instated by July 31, as Bryant was told, a Target spokesperson said there has been no specific date set other than sometime this year. The spokesman for Target, which had not responded to previous inquiries from USA TODAY about the consumer boycotts, also released this statement: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve." The spokesman also provided an internal memo sent on May 5 from Cornell to Target's employees. In it, Cornell acknowledged a "tough few months." "There's been a lot coming at us – macro challenges in the environment, but also headlines, social media and conversations that may have left you wondering: Where does Target stand? What's true? What's not?" Cornell wrote. "I recognize that silence from us has created uncertainty, so I want to be very clear: We are still the Target you know and believe in—a company that welcomes all and aims to bring joy to everyone, every day." Leaders of the consumer boycotts have been pointing to Target's stock plummeting since earlier this year and data showing online and in-person activity at Target and several other retailers being down, to point to success, as previously reported by USA TODAY. But data from several firms show a mix of results, with sales at some retailers increasing or remaining flat for the first quarter. Consumer boycott: Target boycott continues, more on the way Conservative activists have successfully rallied in recent years to force retailers and companies to rein in their DEI efforts by staging boycotts to hurt sales. In campaigns using hashtags and slogans like "go woke go broke," boycotts waged by conservative activists have taken aim at some of the nation's largest consumer names, including Target. Some have succeeded in slashing sales and forcing policy changes. Now Target and other companies find themselves under attack from the other side, facing calls for boycotts from DEI supporters angry over the rollbacks. Bryant said churches will walk out at 12 p.m. ET on May 25. Protestors are asked to be silent for 9 minutes and 40 seconds, according to Bryant, to symbolize the amount of time that Derek Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck. Bryant told USA TODAY that he took extra precautions in planning the protests to ensure everyone's safety. "I am very reticent in calling for a protest in mass of Black people under this administration," Bryant said, referring to protestors potentially getting arrested. Bryant said he has paired pastors in the various cities with members of the National Bar Association, "So that people have somebody to mitigate for them in the event that it goes a different way," he said. Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Protests coming to Target on anniversary of George Floyd's death
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder
Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder The protests are meant to pressure Target to re-establish its commitment to DEI and other demands by the organizers. Show Caption Hide Caption Consumer Boycotts target DEI retreats—are they working? What we know. Consumer boycotts are targeting companies like Amazon and Target, who've rolled back DEI initiatives, but are they working? Here's what we know. Leaders in the Black faith community who have called upon their followers to boycott Target after its retreat from diversity, equity and inclusion programs have announced a series of peaceful protests outside of Target stores on May 25 – the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, said his church will protest outside a Target in Conyers, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Sixty-seven churches across the country will hold additional protests, he said during a May 18 church service. They are a way to continue pressuring Target to re-establish its commitment to DEI and other demands by the organizers of what was originally called the Target Fast and is now called the Target Boycott, said Bryant, an activist and author. Target is headquartered in Minneapolis where Floyd died and after his death, the retailer made a pledge to the Black community to boost efforts in inclusion, Bryant said in an interview with USA TODAY. But since then, Target has fallen in the eyes of many in the Black community, Bryant said. "They made this pledge not under political duress, not in response to protest, but we thought out of conscious and clean hands," Bryant said. Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment. What is the Target boycott? There have been two boycotts specifically aimed at Target – one which began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month and another that started March 5 to coincide with Lent. Both were started by leaders in the Black community in response to Target's retreat from DEI initiatives and other measures of support. The first indefinite Target boycott was launched at the start of February by Minnesota activists, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. Armstrong has previously told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. A separate 40-day "Target Fast" started by Bryant began on March 5 to coincide with Lent. Since Target did not reinstate its DEI initiatives, the effort is ongoing and has been redubbed The Target Boycott. Separately, there are also ongoing consumer boycotts led by The People's Union, which organized a Feb. 28 one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and had a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze, encouraging supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. What does the Target Boycott group want Target to do? The four demands of Bryant's group include: Honor the $2 billion pledge to the Black business community that Target previously had in place, which entailed purchasing Black-owned products, services and investing in Black media. Deposit $250 million across 23 Black-owned banks to strengthen Black financial institutions. Establish community retail centers at 10 historically Black colleges and universities to educate and empower future Black entrepreneurs. Fully restore and recommit to DEI at every level of the company. On April 17, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN) met with Target CEO Brian Cornell – at Cornell's request. Sharpton has since confirmed that Bryant was in attendance at the meeting. Bryant told USA TODAY that the meeting was productive and Cornell said a commitment to re-establish the $2 billion pledge was underway and that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target or Bryant's group regarding the July 31 deadline. However, Bryant said since the other three demands have not been met, the boycott will continue. Bryant also told USA TODAY that Cornell met with President Donald Trump a few days after their meeting and Bryant had not heard from Target since, but was still expecting the July 31 pledge to happen. "I feel this has been impactful and effective," Bryant said of the initial boycott. What is Target saying? A Target spokesperson confirmed that the retailer in January said it "will complete its $2 billion commitment to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses through its REACH program in 2025 as planned." When asked for clarification if the initiative would be re-instated by July 31, as Bryant was told, a Target spokesperson said there has been no specific date set other than sometime this year. The spokesman for Target, which had not responded to previous inquiries from USA TODAY about the consumer boycotts, also released this statement: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve." The spokesman also provided an internal memo sent on May 5 from Cornell to Target's employees. In it, Cornell acknowledged a "tough few months." "There's been a lot coming at us – macro challenges in the environment, but also headlines, social media and conversations that may have left you wondering: Where does Target stand? What's true? What's not?" Cornell wrote. "I recognize that silence from us has created uncertainty, so I want to be very clear: We are still the Target you know and believe in—a company that welcomes all and aims to bring joy to everyone, every day." Has the Target boycott been working? Leaders of the consumer boycotts have been pointing to Target's stock plummeting since earlier this year and data showing online and in-person activity at Target and several other retailers being down, to point to success, as previously reported by USA TODAY. But data from several firms show a mix of results, with sales at some retailers increasing or remaining flat for the first quarter. Consumer boycott: Target boycott continues, more on the way Conservative activists have successfully rallied in recent years to force retailers and companies to rein in their DEI efforts by staging boycotts to hurt sales. In campaigns using hashtags and slogans like "go woke go broke," boycotts waged by conservative activists have taken aim at some of the nation's largest consumer names, including Target. Some have succeeded in slashing sales and forcing policy changes. Now Target and other companies find themselves under attack from the other side, facing calls for boycotts from DEI supporters angry over the rollbacks. What is happening with the May 25 protests? Bryant said churches will walk out at 12 p.m. ET on May 25. Protestors are asked to be silent for 9 minutes and 40 seconds, according to Bryant, to symbolize the amount of time that Derek Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck. Bryant told USA TODAY that he took extra precautions in planning the protests to ensure everyone's safety. "I am very reticent in calling for a protest in mass of Black people under this administration," Bryant said, referring to protestors potentially getting arrested. Bryant said he has paired pastors in the various cities with members of the National Bar Association, "So that people have somebody to mitigate for them in the event that it goes a different way," he said. Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
