Former pastor in Baltimore leads boycott of Target

Backlash grows over retailers DEI policy rollback

Rev. Jamal Bryant leads a rally outside of the Baltimore Police Department’s Western District police station during a march and vigil for Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Gray died from spinal injuries a week after he was arrested and transported in a police van. staff file

A prominent former Baltimore pastor is leading the charge on a 40-day boycott of Target following the company’s decision to revoke diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The Rev. Jamal Bryant, formerly pastor of the Empowerment Temple in Northwest Baltimore, is urging patrons to sell their stock in the retail giant and spend their money with Black-owned businesses instead — citing accountability, justice and the goal of creating a future where “corporations do not bow to pressure at the expense of marginalized communities.”

The boycott, named the “Target Fast,” began Wednesday at the start of the 40-day Christian observance, Lent. “This Lent, we will begin a corporate fast, starting with Target, as a spiritual act of resistance,” read Targetfast.org, the website for the initiative.

“The advances made during the civil rights movement are being pushed backwards with the cancellation of DEI,” Bryant told The Washington Post. “This generation owes it to the previous generation to fight to try to make America great, which is only happening through diversity.”

In Baltimore, Bryant led the growth of the Empowerment Temple from a few dozen to a reported 10,000 members, many of them young people. He helped turn the congregation into one of the more influential predominantly African-American churches in Baltimore.

In 2012 and in 2015, Bryant exercised his influence and activism by organizing peaceful protests on behalf of Trayvon Martin, the Florida youth who was shot to death by a neighborhood watchman in a case that made national headlines, and local protests following the death of Freddie Gray while he was in the custody of Baltimore Police.

Bryant left Baltimore in 2019 to become a senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia, which boasts more than 10,000 members and played host to the funeral of Coretta Scott King, the widow of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in 2006.

The boycott stems from Target’s announcement in January that the corporation would phase out a handful of DEI initiatives, including part of its “Belonging at the Bullseye” program that aimed to help Black employees build a meaningful career with the corporation.

Part of the phase-out also includes an end to hiring and promotion goals for women, members of racial minority groups, and other underrepresented communities.

The changes are part of a national shift away from diversity, equity and inclusion measures following the election of President Donald Trump. Since taking office, the Republican leader has fought to end DEI initiatives in schools and both federal and private workforces.

Federal diversity officers were closed by order of Trump after his inauguration, and public school systems were notified that they needed to end DEI programs or risk losing federal funding.

Both a national teacher’s union and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, have launched lawsuits against Trump over his approach to DEI.

Target is not the only national retailer to repeal DEI initiatives. In November, Target’s competitor, Walmart, announced that it would begin ending its DEI policy. Walmart faced backlash over the policy change, but Target seems to be bearing most of the backlash.

Target faced similar backlash in 2010 when it was revealed that the company allegedly donated to an organization that supported Tom Emmer — a Republican who was vocal in his opposition to gay marriage in his campaign for governor in Minnesota.

However, when Target moved to implement DEI initiatives like the implementation non-gender specific bathroom usage and the sale of LQBTQ+ merchandise, the corporation also faced backlash.

According to the boycott’s website, Target’s previous support for DEI is why the Minneapolis-based retailer is being boycotted for its policy rollbacks.

“In recent days, we have witnessed a disturbing retreat from DEI initiatives by major corporations —companies that once pledged to stand for justice but have since chosen the path of compromise,” the boycott’s website read. “These rollbacks represent more than just corporate decisions; they reflect a deeper erosion of the moral and ethical commitments necessary to build a just society.”

The boycott is slated to run through April 17. According to The Associated Press, Bryant has said 110,000 people have signed up to support the boycott on its website.

The Associated Press and The Washington Post contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at [e-mail], 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.