Civil rights activists are pushing for a nationwide boycott of Target over its decision to phase out its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. DEI supporters gathered outside Target’s headquarters in Minneapolis Thursday, Jan. 30, urging people to start a boycott Saturday, Feb. 1, to coincide with the first day of Black History Month.
The protest comes after the retail giant announced last week it would join Walmart and a number of other stores in scaling back its DEI initiatives. It did so after feeling pressure from conservative groups and President Donald Trump’s recent signing of executive orders ending DEI programs in the federal government.
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“We thought that they would continue to stand for the values that we all hold dear,” Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney, said at Target’s headquarters. “But instead, they acted cowardly, and they made the decision to bow down to the Trump administration.”
Several Black-owned businesses that sell their products at Target, including the cosmetics company The Lip Bar, have expressed fear it will impact their bottom line if their customers stop shopping at Target stores.
However, supporters of the boycott are now encouraging people to shop directly from the websites of Black-owned companies instead of purchasing their products through Target.
Target, which has historically advocated for the rights of Black and LGBTQ+ people, hasn’t commented on the calls for a boycott.
In a memo to employees last week, Target’s chief community impact and equity officer, Kiera Fernandez, described the DEI decisions as a “next chapter” in the company’s strategy.
