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Black America Web
3 days 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
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Dollar General Boycott: What to Know About Key Difference From Others
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Black communities are now targeting Dollar General stores as part of its most recent boycott attempt—but with a twist. Newsweek reached out to Dollar General for comment. Why It Matters Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, initially led a Target boycott during the Lenten season coined "Target Fast" in response to the company's elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles and lack of investment in Black-owned banks, businesses and education. That boycott remains ongoing while other companies, such as Dollar General, are entering their economic crosshairs. What To Know The newest movement is not in person but rather an electronic boycott of Dollar General that will include overwhelming the company's email account and phone lines, in addition to a social media campaign. It's what supporters describe as "a mass technological campaign," according to USA TODAY. "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." Newsweek reached out to Bryant for comment. A sign hangs above a Dollar General store on August 31, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. A sign hangs above a Dollar General store on August 31, 2023, in Chicago, Target, Bryant said that Dollar General has "walked away from DEI and have said absolutely nothing." "Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives," he 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." The reason for an electronic boycott in this instance is due to "food deserts" where fruits and vegetables are scarce, while some communities may have individuals—notably those in rural areas—with financial shortcomings, he added. Dollar General was founded in 1939. As of April 2025, they had more than 195,000 employees at more than 20,500 stores across 48 states, in addition to 34 distribution centers. In fiscal year 2024, the company made approximately $40.6 billion in sales and was ranked No. 111 on the Fortune 500 list. Their website states that the company has donated over $250 million, in addition to providing over 50 million meals to Feeding America and partner food banks. What People Are Saying Steve Deckard, Dollar General's executive vice president of store operations and development, when the company opened its 20,000th store in February: "We believe each store provides a positive impact in our hometowns through convenient access to affordable essentials, career growth opportunities for employees, and the ability for local nonprofits, schools and libraries to advance through Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants." What Happens Next Bryant said the Dollar General electronic boycott has officially begun. He and others hope it has a similar effect to the public perception of Tesla protests, in that a brand can be tarnished by those who don't necessarily invest in certain products or companies. As he said, "We've found there's more than one way to skin a cat."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat
A leader in the Black faith community who has been spearheading a consumer boycott of Target is expanding his group's efforts to put pressure on another retailer he said has retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion. Next up is an electronic protest of Dollar General starting immediately. The protest will entail flooding the discount retailer's email account and phone lines and a social media campaign to get it to change course. At the same time, Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, who led what started as a "Target Fast" during Lent that was extended into a longer boycott, said his group is moving to a "Target blackout" that will be indefinite. "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." USA TODAY has reached out to both Dollar General and Target and is awaiting responses. Bryant said Dollar General has also "walked away from DEI and have said absolutely nothing." "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.' The call to action for Dollar General will be different from Target's, Bryant said. Instead of boycotting shopping at Dollar General, the group is calling for "a mass technological campaign of telephone and e-mail and social media." Supporters will be encouraged to clog the retailer's phone lines and email and use social media to pressure Dollar General to reinstate its DEI initiatives, Bryant said. Shoppers who want to stay away from Dollar General can, but Bryant is not calling for a full boycott 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." In parts of the country where Dollar General locations are in a "food desert," or an area where access to fresh fruits and vegetables are limited, the store may be the only place people "can get produce and vegetation, and so we'll be shifting the approach ... so that we can really make an impact without having an adverse impact on those who really need a Dollar General," Bryant said. There are more than 20,000 Dollar General stores in the United States as of April, the company said on its website. The effort begins immediately, Bryant said. Bryant's group wants Dollar General to restore and strengthen DEI infrastructure, create a community reinvestment fund, expand contracts to Black-owned vendors and address systemic racism within Dollar General's corporate culture. Bryant said he believes the electronic protest can put pressure on Dollar General even if some who participate don't actually shop at the retailer. "The reality is the amount of people who protest Tesla dealerships, those people don't drive Teslas," Bryant said. "The impact of the brand is still tarnished, so we think we've found there's more than one way to skin a cat." Two boycotts have been aimed specifically at Target – one that began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month, then Bryant's action. 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 told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. Separately, consumer boycotts also have been led by The People's Union, which organized a one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending Feb. 28. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and supported a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media, using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze to encourage supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. On May 25, Bryant's group partnered with more than 50 Black churches around the country to peacefully protest outside Target stores on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 to continue to pressure the retailer to reinstate its DEI initiatives and meet the four demands of Bryant's organization. Those also include investing in Black-owned banks and establishing retail centers at historically Black colleges and universities. 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. Bryant, who was at the meeting, told USA TODAY a commitment to reestablish a $2 billion pledge to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses was underway, and Cornell said at the meeting that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target, and a Target spokesman said the goal would be completed within the year. Bryant said that because the other three demands have not been met, the Target blackout will move on. Target is "suspended indefinitely," Bryant said, adding that he is always "amenable to meet." On May 16, Target told USA TODAY in a 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."Target stock has plummeted since earlier this year. On Jan. 31, before the first boycott began on Feb. 1, shares closed at $137.91. It reached a low of $88.76 on April 8, a 35.6% drop. In-person foot traffic at Target has also been affected, according to which uses a panel of tens of millions of devices and employs machine learning to make estimations for in-store visits. Traffic dropped as much as 8.10% the week of Feb. 17 and has ebbed and flowed, sometimes increasing. Traffic was down 2.1% the week of May 12, according to the latest information available. Target also slashed its annual forecast during its last earnings report on May 21, reporting a sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales as customers pulled back on purchases because of worries about inflation and the economy. Target also acknowledged that its performance was affected by the consumer boycotts. Consumer boycotts: Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder Bryant said his group's efforts will expand to other businesses that have rolled back DEI initiatives. "Any organization or company that is adverse to our community is on the list. It is just so exhaustive that we start strategically, and it is better to focus on one at a time," he said. Bryant said he has been grateful to supporters who have stayed away from Target as well as expressed their displeasure on social media. "I'm grateful for every post on TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat and Facebook,'' Bryant said. "They are really the unsung heroes that helped make this happen." 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: Target boycott leader calls for Dollar General protest next
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat 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. A leader in the Black faith community who has been spearheading a consumer boycott of Target is expanding his group's efforts to put pressure on another retailer he said has retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion. Next up is an electronic protest of Dollar General starting immediately. The protest will entail flooding the discount retailer's email account and phone lines and a social media campaign to get it to change course. At the same time, Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, who led what started as a "Target Fast" during Lent that was extended into a longer boycott, said his group is moving to a "Target blackout" that will be indefinite. "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." Why is the group protesting Dollar General? Bryant said Dollar General has also "walked away from DEI and have said absolutely nothing." "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.' The call to action for Dollar General will be different from Target's, Bryant said. Instead of boycotting shopping at Dollar General, the group is calling for "a mass technological campaign of telephone and e-mail and social media." Supporters will be encouraged to clog the retailer's phone lines and email and use social media to pressure Dollar General to reinstate its DEI initiatives, Bryant said. Shoppers who want to stay away from Dollar General can, but Bryant is not calling for a full boycott 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." In parts of the country where Dollar General locations are in a "food desert," or an area where access to fresh fruits and vegetables are limited, the store may be the only place people "can get produce and vegetation, and so we'll be shifting the approach ... so that we can really make an impact without having an adverse impact on those who really need a Dollar General," Bryant said. There are more than 20,000 Dollar General stores in the United States as of April, the company said on its website. The effort begins immediately, Bryant said. Bryant's group wants Dollar General to restore and strengthen DEI infrastructure, create a community reinvestment fund, expand contracts to Black-owned vendors and address systemic racism within Dollar General's corporate culture. Bryant said he believes the electronic protest can put pressure on Dollar General even if some who participate don't actually shop at the retailer. "The reality is the amount of people who protest Tesla dealerships, those people don't drive Teslas," Bryant said. "The impact of the brand is still tarnished, so we think we've found there's more than one way to skin a cat." What is the Target boycott? Two boycotts have been aimed specifically at Target – one that began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month, then Bryant's action. 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 told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. Separately, consumer boycotts also have been led by The People's Union, which organized a one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending Feb. 28. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and supported a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media, using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze to encourage supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. On May 25, Bryant's group partnered with more than 50 Black churches around the country to peacefully protest outside Target stores on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 to continue to pressure the retailer to reinstate its DEI initiatives and meet the four demands of Bryant's organization. Those also include investing in Black-owned banks and establishing retail centers at historically Black colleges and universities. How has Target reacted to the consumer boycotts? 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. Bryant, who was at the meeting, told USA TODAY a commitment to reestablish a $2 billion pledge to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses was underway, and Cornell said at the meeting that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target, and a Target spokesman said the goal would be completed within the year. Bryant said that because the other three demands have not been met, the Target blackout will move on. Target is "suspended indefinitely," Bryant said, adding that he is always "amenable to meet." On May 16, Target told USA TODAY in a 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." How have the Target boycotts affected the retailer? Target stock has plummeted since earlier this year. On Jan. 31, before the first boycott began on Feb. 1, shares closed at $137.91. It reached a low of $88.76 on April 8, a 35.6% drop. In-person foot traffic at Target has also been affected, according to which uses a panel of tens of millions of devices and employs machine learning to make estimations for in-store visits. Traffic dropped as much as 8.10% the week of Feb. 17 and has ebbed and flowed, sometimes increasing. Traffic was down 2.1% the week of May 12, according to the latest information available. Target also slashed its annual forecast during its last earnings report on May 21, reporting a sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales as customers pulled back on purchases because of worries about inflation and the economy. Target also acknowledged that its performance was affected by the consumer boycotts. Consumer boycotts: Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder Will the Black faith community scrutinize other businesses? Bryant said his group's efforts will expand to other businesses that have rolled back DEI initiatives. "Any organization or company that is adverse to our community is on the list. It is just so exhaustive that we start strategically, and it is better to focus on one at a time," he said. Bryant said he has been grateful to supporters who have stayed away from Target as well as expressed their displeasure on social media. "I'm grateful for every post on TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat and Facebook,'' Bryant said. "They are really the unsung heroes that helped make this happen." 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.
USA Today
7 days ago
- 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.
