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CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: 🚨 Why Is Target Facing a Boycott? | DEI Rollback, Backlash & $12B Lost 💥

Target is facing major backlash after rolling back its DEI programs, sparking a 40-day boycott, nationwide protests, and billions in market losses.✝️ What do YOU think about Target’s decision? Should Christians and communities join the boycott, or is Target being unfairly targeted? 👇 Drop your thoughts in the Comments — and don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE for more breaking Christian news.

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Hi everyone,

Target is facing massive backlash after rolling back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Civil rights leaders, churches, and activists have launched organized boycotts, claiming Target abandoned commitments made after the George Floyd protests.

The result? Billions in lost market value, falling sales, and nationwide calls to stop shopping at Target.

In this video, we will answer these 5 questions:
Question #1: Why did Target roll back its DEI policies?
Question #2: What is the role of Rev. Jamal Bryant and the 40-day boycott?
Question #3: How are civil rights groups and churches responding?
Question #4: What is the financial and brand impact on Target?
Question #5: What does this mean for corporate America moving forward?

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Question #1: Why did Target roll back its DEI policies?

In early 2025, Target announced it was rolling back its DEI programs—ending its hiring targets for minority employees and dismantling its racial justice executive committee, claiming an “evolving external landscape” as justification.

Target said it was responding to a changing political and legal climate. Many conservatives criticized DEI programs, and lawsuits made companies more cautious.

Target shut down some of its biggest DEI initiatives:
It ended the REACH program that focused on racial equity.
It stopped publishing public diversity goals.
It pulled out of external rankings like the Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Index.
It renamed its supplier diversity team to “supplier engagement,” signaling less focus on minority-owned businesses.

Target was not alone. Big brands like Walmart, Amazon, McDonald’s, and Meta also scaled back their DEI work around the same time.

Conservative figures like Robby Starbuck organized campaigns to pressure companies into dropping DEI programs.

To summarize, Target rolled back its DEI efforts in early 2025 because of political pressure, legal risks, activist campaigns, and business strategy. The company ended racial equity programs, changed supplier policies, and moved toward a more “neutral” stance—similar to many other large corporations.

Question #2: What is the role of Rev. Jamal Bryant and the 40-day boycott?

Rev. Jamal Bryant, Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, launched a 40-day boycott of Target starting at the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025. He described it as a “fast” from Target to protest the company’s rollback of DEI initiatives.

Rev. Bryant called on Black consumers to withhold their Target spending—citing that Black Americans spend around $12 million to $29 million every day at the store— in order to increase financial impact and accountability.

He urged participants to sell Target stock, calling the rollback “a slap in the face” to Black communities and to divert consumer spending toward Black-owned businesses, offering a directory to help with that transition.

Within days, tens of thousands joined the pledge—nearly 50,000, according to some estimates—committed to the fast—and the campaign gained national attention.
Over 100,000 people joined the campaign as it progressed, and it is regarded as a form of economic protest and civil rights action.

By Easter Sunday, Rev. Bryant announced that the 40-day fast had evolved into a full-fledged, indefinite boycott, maintaining the economic pressure and demanding corporate accountability.

To summarize, Rev. Jamal Bryant spearheaded a 40-day “Target Fast” during Lent, urging Black consumers to boycott Target as a protest against its DEI rollback. He emphasized the community’s economic influence, encouraged supporting Black-owned businesses instead, and expanded the campaign from a time-limited fast into a broader, ongoing boycott.

Question #3: How are civil rights groups and churches responding?

After Target began to phase out out its DEI initiatives, civil rights organizations and activists gathered outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters, calling for a company-wide boycott. Many loyal customers symbolically cut up Target circle cards in response. These protests were timed to kick off during Black History Month to emphasize the importance of accountability.

The boycott movement transformed into a faith-led movement. On May 25, 67 churches joined protests with the powerful message: “Don’t fall back… we’re going forward.”
These “Black” churches positioned themselves at the center of a growing push for justice and corporate accountability.

Rev. Jamal Bryant emphasized that the boycott won’t end until Target reverses course on its DEI commitments. As he put it, Target doesn’t take Black shoppers seriously unless they feel the financial impact.

Organizations such as the NAACP created spending guides that map which companies upheld DEI promises and which did not. The goal is to steer Black consumers toward brands that uphold inclusive values and away from those that don’t.

Target executives also met with prominent civil rights leaders. For example, Rev. Al Sharpton described his conversation with Target’s CEO as “constructive and candid,” indicating a willingness to engage despite ongoing backlash.

To Summarize:
Protests and boycotts are widespread—led by both civil rights groups and faith leaders.
“Black” churches are leading the movement, bringing together religious and economic protest.
Boycotts are still active, not just symbolic: this is sustained pressure.
Institutions like the NAACP are steering purchasing power toward companies that stand by inclusive commitments.
Target is also forced into conversations with civil rights figures—though the future of its DEI strategy remains unclear.

Question #4: What is the financial and brand impact on Target?

Target’s rollback of DEI programs sparked backlash and boycotts—Rev. Jamal Bryant’s “Target Fast” being a major catalyst. In just a few weeks, this resulted in billions shaved off Target’s market value, with the stock dropping approximately $27 per share, wiping out more than $12 billion.

First-quarter sales were down nearly 3%, or about $680 million, and foot traffic dropped 5–9%, indicating a real consumer impact.

Target’s net income dropped 21% in Q2 2025, with comparable sales down 1.9%, signaling ongoing financial difficulties.
Comparable sales also declined 3.8% in the first quarter, forcing the company to lower its full-year forecast.

Many longtime Target shoppers—especially liberal-leaning and faith-based consumers—felt betrayed by the policy reversal, and began shopping elsewhere. Customers reported messy stores and poor service as additional frustrations, weakening Target’s once-strong brand reputation.

Consumer dissatisfaction has also been fueled by other recent decisions, such as the removal of external price-matching and controversial handling of LGBTQ-themed merchandise, which further eroded trust.

Amid these challenges, long-time CEO Brian Cornell announced his resignation, effective early 2026. COO Michael Fiddelke will step in to lead a turnaround strategy focused on better product mix and improved store experiences.

Black-owned businesses stocked by Target have reported significant sales drops as the boycott cut into their revenue and shelf visibility. At the same time, some entrepreneurs supported the boycott’s message and switched to alternative sales channels.

To summarize, Target saw a serious financial hit as a result of its DEI rollback, with billions lost in market value, hundreds of millions in declining sales, and noticeable declines in foot traffic. The backlash also dented customer trust, triggered a CEO change, and impacted minority-owned brands that relied on Target for exposure and revenue.

Question #5: What does this mean for corporate America moving forward?

Companies are increasingly stepping back from big DEI commitments, opting instead for “neutral” or “values-light” branding. Executives are concerned that taking taking strong public stances—whether progressive or conservative—could alienate key customer bases and invite backlash.

Court rulings and state laws restricting race- and gender-based initiatives are reshaping corporate compliance strategies. Businesses are tightening their DEI language, rebranding diversity programs, and avoiding external scorecards to minimize legal risk.

The Target boycott shows that organized activism—whether from conservative groups pushing rollbacks or civil rights leaders pushing boycotts—can directly hit sales, stock prices, and even force leadership changes. Companies now see consumer activism as a real financial risk, not just a PR issue.

When big retailers discontinue DEI programs, smaller minority-owned brands often suffer the most, losing access to shelf space, visibility, and sales. This puts more pressure on corporate America to balance risk management with supplier equity commitments.

Experts warn that pulling back from DEI may solve short-term political pressure but could erode long-term consumer trust, especially among younger, diverse demographics who expect corporations to uphold inclusive values.

To summarize, the Target controversy signals a turning point: corporations are rethinking their approach to DEI, balancing political, legal, and financial risks with brand reputation and consumer trust. Moving forward, expect more companies to scale back public diversity goals, rebrand initiatives under neutral terms, and tread carefully in a deeply polarized marketplace.

Target’s decision to discontinue DEI programming triggered a wave of backlash from civil rights advocates, faith communities, and loyal customers. Organized boycotts—especially the 40-day “Target Fast”—had a direct influence on its sales, reputation, and stock performance.

QUESTION TO YOU: What do YOU think about Target’s decision? Should Christians join the boycott, or is Target being unfairly targeted? Type “BOYCOTT” if Christians should join the boycott. Type “UNFAIR” if Target is being unfairly targeted. See you in the Comments section.

🚨 Why Is Target Facing a Boycott? | DEI Rollback, Backlash & $12B Lost 💥 | Christian Breaking News!