Target is facing a 40-day boycott over its decision to pull back on some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
The boycott started on Ash Wednesday and runs through the 40 days of Lent. Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia is behind the boycott and likened the effort to a “fast.”
“Lent is a sacred season of reflection, sacrifice, and renewal. It is a time when we draw closer to God by letting go of the things that distract us and recommitting ourselves to justice, love, and righteousness,” a statement on the movement’s website says. “As we enter this Lenten season, we are called not only to personal transformation but also to prophetic action.”
The website claims that the pull away from DEI policies represents “more than just corporate decisions; they reflect a deeper erosion of the moral and ethical commitments necessary to build a just society. As people of faith, we cannot be silent. We are called to resist systems that perpetuate exclusion and inequity.”
Boycotting Target is described as an “act of spiritual resistance,” the site notes. “Just as Jesus overturned the tables in the temple, challenging the exploitation and hypocrisy of his day, we too must disrupt business as usual. Fasting is not just about what we abstain from—it is about what we embrace. By redirecting our resources toward businesses that uphold justice, we embody our commitment to God’s vision of equity and love in action.”
In its January announcement that it was moving away from DEI initiatives, Target stated that the company was ending its “three-year diversity, equity and inclusion goals” and its “Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH)” programs. It was further halting its “external diversity-focused surveys, including HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.”
