Target boycott: Atlanta pastor's 40-day 'fast' begins over DEI rollback

ATLANTA - A prominent metro Atlanta pastor's 40-day boycott over Target's rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies is set to start today as the big box chain faces dropping stock prices and worries over recent tariffs.

New Birth Baptist Church Dr. Jamal Bryant called for a 40-day "fast" from the company during Lent to show the company the impact of Black consumers. 

Target protest over DEI changes

The backstory:

The Minneapolis-based retailer announced on Jan. 24 that it would be ending a program it established to help Black employees build meaningful careers, improve the experience of Black shoppers and promote Black-owned businesses following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people, said it already had planned to end the racial program this year. The company said Friday that it would also conclude the diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, goals it previously set in three-year cycles.

The Target logo is displayed at a Target store on Aug. 20, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The goals included hiring and promoting more women and members of racial minority groups, and recruiting more diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, veterans and people with disabilities.

Following the company's announcement, a group of shareholders filed a lawsuit claiming they were misled over the risks of the DEI policy changes.

What they're saying:

Speaking on the first Sunday of Black History Month, Bryant urged his congregants to boycott the corporation by selling shares of its stock and not shopping at its stores. 

"I want the stock to go down because we are standing in righteous indignation against racism and sexism in this nation," he said. "We are going to break the spirit of white entitlement. We are going to break the spirit of racism and sexism."

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Jamal Bryant (FOX 5)

Speaking to FOX 5 a week later, Bryant said that more than 50,000 people had committed to the boycott by signing an online petition.

"Black people spend on average $12 million a day in Target, so with that large of a consumption pie, we need to be treated with a great decibel of respect," he stated. 

What we know:

In the last month, Target's stock has dropped more than 13% from $135.21 to $117.14 a share.

MORE: How tariffs could impact Target in 2025

Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday, Target CEO Brian Cornell said  shoppers would "likely see price increases over the next couple of days" due to the tariffs imposed on Mexico.

The company expects net sales to be up 1% and comparable sales to be flat this year.

What you can do:

To learn more about the calls for a boycott and see the organizer's demands, visit the event's website.