We Are Somebody organized a Target boycott after Target announced on Friday, January 24th, that it would roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The boycott will begin on February 1st. We Are Somebody has appeared in many articles in the last few days and caught the attention of many across social media platforms. The boycott aims to buy and support only Black—and minority-owned businesses so that these business owners and creators do not suffer while standing up to big corporations.
We Are Somebody, founded by a Black woman named Nina Turner, is an organization dedicated to supplementing nationwide union strike funds and driving private financial support directly to needy workers. They help amplify the narrative of striking workers from the picket line to the public, educate non-union workers on the impact and importance of the labor movement, and support workers in contract negotiations so they can come to the table from the strongest possible position. We Are Somebody is dedicated to defending workers’ rights, demanding racial and social justice, and advancing healthcare for all.
How can you boycott while simultaneously supporting Black and minority-owned businesses at Target? Is that a “real” or “true” boycott?
A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, and/or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons.
A complete boycott of Target would hurt the many Black and minority-owned businesses Target had long placed at the center of its recruitment, promotion, supplier, partnership, and communications activities. Target’s former goal was to do $2 billion in business with Black-owned businesses and sell more than 500 Black-owned brands in its stores by 2025, with their CEO admitting that Target’s focus on DEI has fueled much of their growth.
This boycott is about timing. Many Black and minority business owners have expressed fear of having to buy back all unsold products, many of which do not have anywhere/enough room to store said products, if consumers boycott Target altogether or if their products are removed from Target shelves due to DEI rollbacks. This is about buying and supporting Black and minority-owned brands and products until the products have been purchased, then boycotting Target altogether.
This is a voluntary and elective boycott, the San Francisco Bay Area Black & Unity Coalition is posting for visibility. Some of our members will be participating. Please feel free to share the contents of this effort with your community.
