By Observer Staff
40-Day ‘Target Fast’ Boycott Begins Over DEI Rollbacks
A nationwide boycott of Target kicked off this week as faith and civil rights leaders protest the retail giant’s recent rollback of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The 40-day campaign, called the “Target Fast,” began on Ash Wednesday, aligning with the start of Lent.
Led by Rev. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, the boycott is being framed as a “spiritual act of resistance.” Organizers are calling on supporters to stop shopping at Target through April 17 and instead direct their dollars toward Black-owned businesses.
What Sparked the Target Boycott?
The protest follows Target’s January announcement that it would phase out several of its DEI programs. Among those cut was an initiative supporting career growth for Black employees and the promotion of Black-owned businesses. The company also said it would end hiring and promotion goals tied to women and other underrepresented groups.
While Target said the decision had been planned, the move came as other corporations — like Walmart — also scaled back similar initiatives. Still, backlash against Target was more intense, likely due to the company’s past image as a champion of diversity and inclusion.
Civil rights leaders, local activists, and even members of the Target founding family criticized the changes. Many pointed to the company’s previous commitments as a reason the rollback felt like a betrayal.
A Call for Corporate Accountability
Organizers of the Target Fast argue the boycott isn’t just about shopping—it’s about power and accountability. The campaign website, targetfast.org, describes the movement as a fast “for justice, for a future where corporations do not bow to pressure at the expense of marginalized communities.”
Boycotters are demanding Target restore its DEI commitments and honor a pledge to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. More than 110,000 people have reportedly signed up to join the boycott.
Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network also signaled broader efforts to hold corporations accountable, promising additional consumer boycotts in the coming months against companies that have abandoned diversity pledges.
Can the Boycott Make an Impact?
Marketing experts say Target’s brand may suffer more because the DEI rollback contradicts its previous messaging. When a company builds trust with marginalized communities and then appears to reverse course, it often triggers deeper feelings of betrayal, said Wharton School marketing professor Americus Reed II.
For boycotts to succeed, he added, they must feel like a movement, not just a moment. Strategies like “buycotts” — encouraging consumers to intentionally support Black-owned brands — may be a more accessible way for some to participate.
Still, sustaining momentum remains a challenge. Changing consumer habits is difficult, even for causes people care about, experts note. And larger market factors, like new tariffs on imported goods, may ultimately have a greater effect on Target’s business than grassroots protests.
But even if the boycott doesn’t drastically dent sales, experts say it’s already succeeded in spotlighting the public’s expectations — and frustrations — about corporate accountability.
