BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “To see mega-companies now walk away from diversity, equity, and inclusion is a stark contrast from where we were five years ago.”
By Stacy M. Brown, Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
On the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant led a national prayer protest targeting Target’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Dozens of churches joined in what Bryant called a “spiritual act of uprising,” staging nine-minute and 40-second demonstrations outside Target stores in honor of the time Floyd was pinned to the ground by police. “Five years ago, the CEO of Target said George Floyd could have been one of his employees and, with no pressure, made a pledge of $2 billion,” Bryant said during the protest in Conyers, Georgia. “To see mega-companies now walk away from diversity, equity, and inclusion is a stark contrast from where we were five years ago.” Laretta Wright, a protester at the demonstration, urged accountability. “If you’ve made a promise or a commitment to the people, that’s all we ask—that you follow through,” Wright demanded. “Don’t fall back and tell us to go back because we ain’t going back. We’re going forward.”
Bryant said 67 churches participated in the May 25 protests, organized as part of the ongoing Target Boycott. The movement began as the Target Fast and gained national momentum as the company pulled back on its DEI pledges. Target had promised to support Black-owned brands and increase Black representation within its workforce following Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, where the retailer is headquartered. Target has said the changes were part of a planned three-year cycle. Programs to increase representation and partnerships with Black businesses were quietly phased out, sparking outrage. CEO Brian Cornell met with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton in April, who later called the conversation “constructive and candid.”
But Bryant and other leaders say the rollback, paired with the silence toward Black-owned media, speaks volumes. In a joint column, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and NNPA Chair Bobby R. Henry Sr. said they sent a formal letter to Cornell in October 2024 requesting investment in Black-owned newspapers. The letter received no response. “Silence, in the face of truth, is complicity,” they wrote. “Let us be clear: we will not shop where we are disrespected. Our dollars will not finance our own marginalization.”
Target reported a 2.8% drop in first-quarter sales to $23.8 billion and lowered its full-year forecast. Adjusted earnings fell nearly 36% to $1.30 per share, down from $2.03 last year. The company cited a challenging economic environment and announced internal leadership changes and a new acceleration office. “Black Press USA is in complete solidarity with Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, New Missionary Baptist Church, and the millions of Black church members across the nation who continue to be active and to engage in nonviolent protests against Target,” Chavis said. “Sunday was a glorious day that the Lord has made.”
