Civil rights activists gathered outside Target Corp.’s headquarters in Minneapolis on Thursday to announce a national boycott in response to the company’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Last Friday, Target revealed it would follow Walmart and other major brands in reducing its DEI efforts, which have been criticized by conservatives and the Trump administration.
Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, led the call for the boycott, which will begin on Saturday, the first day of Black History Month. Levy Armstrong expressed disappointment over Target’s retreat from its commitment to diversity, particularly after the company had increased its focus on racial equity following the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. She and other activists argued that Target’s actions were a betrayal of the values it had previously upheld.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also voiced strong opposition, emphasizing that Target, as a company based in Minneapolis, should be held accountable for its change in stance. The boycott is supported by local Black Lives Matter groups, with activists urging supporters to shop elsewhere, such as at Costco, which reaffirmed its commitment to DEI last week.
At the rally, some participants symbolically cut up their Target charge cards, while a brass band played protest songs. Despite the unrest, the event took on a festive tone, including prayer and speeches.
Target has not publicly responded to the boycott call, but in a memo to employees, Kiera Fernandez, the company’s chief community impact officer, framed the decision to adjust DEI goals as part of a broader shift in its customer engagement strategy.
Levy Armstrong and Hussein also urged major civil rights organizations like the NAACP to join the boycott. While some Black-owned businesses with products in Target stores have expressed concern about the boycott’s impact, the activists assured that supporters could still buy directly from these companies online.
