Target Shopper Boycott over DEI Changes Winds Down as Leaders Claim Victory

The yearlong consumer boycott of Target over its DEI rollbacks is winding down. Leaders say the retailer has acknowledged a breakdown in trust and made progress on commitments to Black businesses

The yearlong national consumer boycott of Target over its decision to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives is winding down. The Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant, who launched the "Target Fast" in March 2025, announced the boycott's conclusion following what he described as "productive" conversations with Target's new CEO Michael Fiddelke.

The boycott was triggered in January 2025 when Target joined a broad corporate retreat from DEI policies following President Donald Trump's executive orders. Target had been one of the most vocal corporate supporters of racial equity after George Floyd's murder, pledging to increase Black employee representation, invest $2 billion in Black-owned businesses, and deposit $250 million in Black-owned banks. When the company scaled back those commitments, activists saw it as betrayal.

Bryant acknowledged that Target has not officially reversed its DEI policy changes. However, he noted progress on three of the movement's four demands: Target is nearing completion of its $2 billion pledge to Black-owned businesses, has added board representation, and is launching a job readiness pilot with a historically Black college. The demand for $250 million in deposits to Black-owned banks remains unfulfilled.

Crucially, activists say Target has acknowledged the breakdown in trust with the Black community. During an internal meeting, Fiddelke reportedly acknowledged the harm caused by the DEI rollbacks.

But the boycott's conclusion is not universal. Minneapolis-based activists including Nekima Levy Armstrong, who launched a separate boycott, say their campaign continues unless Target reverses its DEI rollback.

For Bryant, the movement demonstrated the power of Black consumer spending. "Aside from the revenue lost by Target, the upsurge of emphasis on supporting Black businesses is awe-inspiring," he said.