The pastor of a Georgia megachurch who led a nationwide 40-day "fast" boycott of Target stores over the retail chain's abandonment of diversity initiatives is now calling for that effort to continue as a "full Target boycott." The Rev. Jamal Bryant said this week that the Minneapolis-based retailer has not met all of the boycott effort's demands, the AP reports. Among them: restoring the company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and pledging money to Black-owned banks and businesses.
Target announced in January that it would phase out a handful of DEI initiatives, including a program designed to help Black employees build meaningful careers and promote Black-owned businesses. President Trump and his supporters have sought to dismantle DEI policies in the federal government and schools. Bryant is the pastor of one of the South's largest churches, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest. The 40-day "fast" of Target stores coincided with the beginning of Lent on March 5, and other faith leaders endorsed the protest. The company did not immediately respond to Bryant's announcement.
Other groups have urged shoppers to stay away from the retailer, as well. Last week, the company's CEO asked to meet with the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York about the boycotts. Sharpton had not called for a boycott but was generally supportive of the idea, per CNBC. "If an election determines your commitment to fairness then fine, you have a right to withdraw from us, but then we have a right to withdraw from you," he said before the meeting. Afterward, Sharpton said he'd inform Bryant about the meeting, "and we will go from there."
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