What Is 'Target Fast': Black Consumers Kickstart Target Boycott For 40 Days Over DEI Betrayals

Target is facing a 40-day boycott, known as the 'Target Fast,' as Black consumers voice their frustration over what they see as a failure to uphold commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The boycott underscores growing consumer pushback against corporate DEI practices.

Target Fast: Understanding the Protest

In response to Target's retreat from DEI initiatives, Dr Jamal Bryant, a prominent leader of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is spearheading the boycott. Aiming to gather 100,000 signatures, Bryant has launched a petition and urged consumers to stop spending at Target, accusing the company of failing to support Black businesses and shoppers as promised.

Despite a prior £1.55 billion ($2 billion) pledge to Black-owned businesses, made after George Floyd's 2020 murder in its hometown of Minneapolis, Target has now reversed course. Bryant publicly denounced the company's 24th January decision to terminate its DEI initiatives and the related funding.

'After the murder of George Floyd, they made a $2 billion commitment to invest in Black businesses,' Bryant told the Black Press' Let It Be Known News. 'That commitment was due in December 2025. When they pulled out of the DEI agreement in January, they also cancelled that $2 billion commitment.'

The Target Boycott Explained

According to Bryant, Target was selected as the initial focus of the economic protest due to its significant position in the Black consumer market. 'Black people spend $12 million a day at Target. Because of how many dollars are spent there and the absence of commitment to our community, we are focusing on Target first,' he said.

The 'Target Fast' boycott, coinciding with Lent, is intended to use Black consumer spending as a tool for corporate accountability. Black Press USA reported that the pastor highlighted the movement's strength, noting 50,000 signatures at targetfast.org in the first seven days.

The Core Demands

Beyond reinstating DEI, Bryant is calling for significant financial action. He pointed out, 'White women are the number one beneficiaries of DEI. What I am asking for is a quarter of a billion dollars to be invested in Black banks so that our Black businesses can scale.'

'Target has 10 distribution centres near HBCUs, and I'm asking them to partner with the business departments of these institutions,' he added.

In a related move, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, has launched a national campaign to educate the public and encourage selective purchasing, addressing the same corporate pullback from DEI.

'We are the trusted voice of Black America, and we will not be silent or nonresponsive to the rapid rise of renewed Jim Crow racist policies in corporate America,' said NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr.

Supporting Black Businesses

Bryant has teamed up with Ron Busby, president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, to provide shoppers with a resource: a directory listing 300,000 Black-owned businesses. 'You can't tell people what not to do without showing them what to do,' he said.

'If you're not going to Target or Walmart but need essentials like toilet paper, soap, or detergent, we'll show you where to get them and reinvest in Black businesses,' Bryant continued. He also asserted that the boycott's effects are already visible.

'Since Black people have been boycotting Target, the stock has dropped by £8.53 ($11),' he noted. 'Stockholders are now suing Target because of the adverse impact this boycott has had on their stock.'

'This is just phase one. After the 40 days, we'll figure out who's next. But we have to go after Target first. Amazon and others come right after. America has shown us time and time again: if it doesn't make dollars, it doesn't make sense,' he said.

Target's Growing Pressures

This boycott, starting during Lent, adds to Target's burdens. It comes shortly after the DEI program changes, rising tariffs, and amidst economic hurdles.

Target's diversity initiatives underwent significant changes on 24th January, shortly after Donald Trump's presidency began. These included the removal of minority hiring goals and the termination of an executive committee dedicated to racial justice.

Target announced its focus on 'Belonging at the Bullseye,' a strategy introduced the previous year. It reiterated its commitment to fostering 'a sense of belonging for our team, guests, and communities.' The company also highlighted the necessity of 'staying in step with the evolving external landscape.'

Target Caught In DEI Crossfire

Caught between conservative legal challenges and diversity commitments, Target is among numerous Fortune 500 companies reversing DEI initiatives. This comes amid court decisions, activist pressure, right-wing legal groups, and the Trump administration's threats to investigate 'illegal DEI' practices, potentially including criminal cases.

However, Target has experienced a more intense reaction from DEI advocates than any other company. Online customers have voiced strong opposition. According to the Los Angeles Times, Anne and Lucy Dayton, daughters of a Target co-founder, have publicly labelled the company's actions 'a betrayal. '

'We're asking people to divest from Target because they have turned their back on our community,' Bryant said in an interview with CNN. 'Black people spend upwards of £9.31 million ($12 million) a day, and so we would expect some loyalty, some decency and some camaraderie,' he added.

Target faces greater pressure than companies like Walmart, John Deere, or Tractor Supply because it has implemented more extensive DEI initiatives and caters to a more progressive customer base.