01-03-2025
Group rallies for Blackout Friday in West Hartford
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — People across the country are taking part in Blackout Friday, an economic resistance against big corporations like Amazon, Target and Walmart.
About 50 people gathered outside Whole Foods on Raymond Road in West Hartford. Ted Carroll, a member of the Call to Action group, organized the rally two days ago.
'One of the ways we can demonstrate our power is through our pocketbooks, our purses, our wallets,' he said. 'We don't need to spend money at companies owned by Amazon. We can go elsewhere.'
Economic blackout: Will a 24-hour boycott make a difference?
For 24 hours, a grassroots organization called the People's Union USA encourages consumers to buy locally and not spend money at big companies. The website says to not make any purchases on fast food, gas or at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy.
This group rallied to show their disapproval of Jeff Bezos's alignment with President Trump and the company's rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices.
'Diversity and opportunity have made this country great,' said Carroll. 'We want to maintain those policies, those values.'
David Cadden, a Quinnipiac University professor emeritus of entrepreneurship and strategy, said a 24-hour boycott might not make much of a difference.
'This is just a wildfire that caught on, and I don't know if it will be able to be sustained,' he said. 'It would have to be a significant number of people and would have to be continued for a length of time.'
Protestors know one event won't have much of an impact, but Carroll hopes the day's efforts spread awareness.
'When people are awakened to the power that they have and know that they can actually make a difference, then we will, in fact, bring about the changes that we're seeking today,' he said.
News 8 contacted Whole Foods for a comment on Friday's protest but did not hear back.
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