An Atlanta pastor proposed a five-week boycott of Target — starting March 5 — after the retailer dismantled its diversity, equity, and inclusion program.
During the Feb. 2 service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. Jamal Bryant urged his congregation to avoid the retail giant for Lent — a period of 40 days of prayer and fasting — that many Christians observe before Easter.
“I am calling for a 40-day fast from Target, beginning on March the 5th,” Bryant said to applause. “One hundred thousand conscientious Christians — you don’t have to be Black, Latino, Asian, white – 100,000. You’re going to sign this commitment to be part of this 40-day fast, 100,000 of you bare minimum. I’m asking that after service you’ll go to TargetFast.Org.”
He added, “I’m also telling you to sell all your Target stock. I want the stock to go down because we are standing in righteous indignation against racism and sexism.”
Related: Trump Slammed for ‘Blatant Lie’ Blaming DC Plane Crash on DEI Hiring
Atlanta pastor calls on black Americans to observe Lent with a “40-day fast from Target” in protest of its DEI programs ending
“Sell all of your Target stock. I want the stock to go down because we are standing in righteous indignation against racism and sexism in this nation” pic.twitter.com/4bsiA4mSUZ
— Woke Preacher Clips (@WokePreacherTV) February 4, 2025
Target announced it was ending its diversity program on Jan. 24. In a memo, obtained by the Associated Press, Kiera Fernandez, the company’s community impact and equity officer, described the decision as “the next chapter” in Target’s business strategy.
During his sermon, Bryant criticized President Donald Trump for being the reason corporations, including Target, are phasing out diversity policies.
On his first day in office, Trump ordered all programs promoting DEI in the federal government be terminated, then pushed for the private sector to end what he calls “illegal” diversity programs — even though they were implemented to level the playing field for women and minorities.
In response, Bryant told parishioners: “The president vowed to remove DEI in order to make America great again, but really [it is] to make America biased again, to make America sexist again, to make America homophobic again.”
“And because he has put this edict in line, corporations are starting to fall in line. Corporations like Walmart, corporations like Facebook, corporations like Amazon, corporations like McDonald’s, corporations like Ford, corporations like Lowe’s — and clutch your pearls, corporations like Target,” Bryant said.
Bryant spoke with WSB-TV on Monday, and said Target is the main focus of the boycott because “Black people across the country spend $12 million per day” at the store.
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