Pastor Jamal Bryant States That The Boycott Against Target Will Continue

The consumer boycott against Target will not come to a halt, according to Pastor Jamal Bryant. In March, the retailer announced that it would end its DEI programs, including its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiative and a program focused on carrying more products from Black—or minority-owned businesses.

Subsequently, Bryant called for a 40-day boycott against the retailer, which began on Wednesday, March 4. The movement spanned cities including Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Florida, and Alexandria, Virginia. The “Target Fast” coincided with Lent, when some Christians observe fasting.

Target’s foot traffic fell for the ninth consecutive week amidst its 40-day boycott. The company’s traffic started to plummet in the first week after it shared that it was rolling back its DEI efforts.

The boycott against Target continues

Rev. Al Sharpton met with Target CEO Brian Cornell in New York on Thursday, April 17, 2025, to discuss Target’s decision to roll back its DEI initiatives. Sharpton shared that the meeting was “very constructive and candid” and planned to meet with Rev. Bryant to discuss where they “will go from there,” according to The Guardian.

However, The Christian Post reports that Bryant did not share sentiments similar to Sharpton’s. He shared that the retailer has only completed one of the four requests outlined in the Target Fast campaign to fulfill its $2 billion commitment to Black businesses. “We had four asks and only walked away with one thing. I want to tell you what that one thing is. Target has agreed that by July the 31st they will complete the pledge of $2 billion for black business,” he said.

The other remands for Target include committing “250 million amongst any of our 23 Black banks,” restoring “the franchise commitment to DEI”; and “pipeline community centers at 10 HBCUs to teach retail business at every level,” as stated by AFROTECH.

Potential boycott against PepsiCo

PepsiCo representatives met with civil rights leaders from the National Action Network (NAN) following Reverend Al Sharpton’s threat to lead a boycott over the company’s decision to roll back parts of its DEI efforts.

On April 4, 2025, Sharpton sent a letter to Pepsi specifying the details of a planned boycott. Sharpton then issued a statement on Tuesday, April 15, stating that he and several members of NAN had a “constructive conversation” with PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta and PepsiCo North America CEO Steven Williams.

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