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By Marni Rose McFall
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Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, has said that their boycott of Target will continue after Rev. Jamal Bryant of Georgia said that his boycott action is coming to an end.
"The nationwide Target Boycott is not over, unless and until Target reverses its decision to rollback Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as we said from the beginning. "Pastor" Jamal Bryant does not speak for us or our community and has zero authority to end the nationwide boycott of Target, a company that is headquartered in Minneapolis," Armstrong wrote in a post shared to Facebook.
Newsweek has contacted Armstrong, Bryant and Target outside of normal business hours via email for comment.
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Why It Matters
When President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025, he quickly implemented a number of changes through executive orders. This included his attempt to rid the federal government of DEI initiatives, which he described as "wasteful" and "radical" at the time.
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After this order, Target, alongside other major retailers, said that they would be ending certain diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Resistance to this move ensued, though there was support from Trump’s allies.
Backlash at times took the form of calls for boycotts, with consumer-led boycotts fast becoming prevalent in response to the president's second term in office.
What To Know
Multiple groups called for boycotts of Target after it rolled back its DEI initiatives.
Bryant said at the time that the company had retreated from commitments made after the murder of George Floyd. However, he has now said that the protest is over, following a series of conversations with representatives of the retail giant, including the new CEO, Michael Fiddelke.
Armstrong disagrees.
"The nationwide boycott of Target is successful and it will continue. Please continue to shop elsewhere," Armstrong wrote in a post shared to Facebook. "Please don’t believe the hype and these attempts to rescue Target from the effects of capitulating to the Trump Administration," she wrote.
In a press conference held in front of the company’s Minneapolis headquarters on March 11, Armstrong distanced their boycott from Bryant’s announcement, and said, "How can you call off a boycott focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and have no results to show for it? That is a slap in the face for the people."
For his part, Bryant had told USA Today that the boycott had made progress and that they will continue to hold Target accountable to Black shoppers and employees.
And these aren’t the only boycott initiatives being led against Target. John Schwarz, founder of The People's Union USA, which regularly organizes and calls for consumer-led boycotts, has previously called for a "permanent boycott of Target."
What People Are Saying
Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, speaking at a press conference: "Who's standing here? The people who actually called the boycott. The people who were actually willing to hold this company accountable and are not willing to compromise with Target Corporation until they do the right thing by the people of Minnesota and the people across this nation."
A Target spokesperson previously told Newsweek: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone—our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve."
What Happens Next
It is unclear how long the boycott action organized against Target will last, and if that action will go on to become permanent.
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