Civil rights leaders urge Minnesotans to hold the line on Target boycott
Civil rights leaders in Minneapolis are calling on Minnesotans to maintain a nationwide boycott of Target through the holiday season, saying the retailer abandoned its racial equity commitments and betrayed the very communities that power its profits. As Target cuts prices to recover falling sales, organizers insist the boycott is working and vow to continue until the company reverses course.
Minnesotans urged to shop elsewhere through holidays
Civil rights leaders gathered in Minneapolis on Nov. 20, days before the busy holiday shopping season, urging Americans to “hold the line” on a months-long nationwide boycott of Target. Speakers emphasized that the timing of the press conference was intentional, coming as Target rolls out deep seasonal discounts and aggressive price cuts in an effort to recover weakened sales and falling consumer sentiment.
The coalition, led by the Racial Justice Network, CAIR-Minnesota, Unidos Minnesota, and original organizers of the Target Boycott, reiterated their call for shoppers to avoid Target through Black Friday and the holidays, saying the company “capitulated” to former President Donald Trump by rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and donating $1 million to his inauguration committee.
Target, which has long marketed itself as a Minnesota-based brand aligned with community values, has experienced notable financial turbulence this year. In the months following the February launch of the boycott, Target’s stock price fell sharply and traffic numbers declined nationwide.
The company recently announced thousands of corporate layoffs and replaced its CEO amid continued pressure from investors. Analysts say Target has leaned heavily into slashed prices ahead of Black Friday to pull back customers, a strategy community leaders say underscores the boycott’s impact.
“Do not be fooled by the sticker prices,” said CAIR-Minnesota executive director Jaylani Hussein. “Target is on its knees. This is the moment corporations go from red to black, and they’re hoping holiday sales will rescue them. We’re asking Minnesotans to stand firm.”
Speakers also referenced national data showing how critical the holiday quarter is for Target’s bottom line: Nearly one-third of Target’s annual revenue is generated between mid-November and December, and the retailer depends heavily on its loyal Midwest consumer base. In Minnesota alone, Target still commands one of the largest shares of household spending, particularly among Black, immigrant, and working-class families, the very communities organizers say have been “betrayed.”
Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, reminded attendees that Target publicly pledged $2.1 billion after the murder of George Floyd, promising to improve the Black guest shopping experience, expand Black vendor partnerships, and strengthen internal equity practices.
“They positioned themselves as a national leader when it was convenient,” Levy Armstrong said. “The moment they had a chance to roll back their commitments, they did.”
Leaders also tied their demands to rising fear among immigrant communities following a series of recent ICE enforcement actions in Minnesota. Unidos Minnesota organizer Luis Argetta urged Target to “choose the people,” condemning the corporation for what he called “silence in the face of terror” as undocumented families experience workplace raids and arrests.
“We’re not asking Target to be a political soldier,” Argetta said. “We’re asking them to stand with the people who power their profits, the workers stocking shelves at 4 a.m., the parents stretching every dollar, the immigrants who harvest the food that Target sells.”
Monique Cullars-Doty, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota and one of the architects of the boycott, emphasized that DEI is not abstract corporate language; it is civil rights work. “Rolling back DEI affirms that some people are not valued,” she said.
“Target promised equity after George Floyd. Now they are walking it back. That’s why we’re here, and why we’re continuing the national boycott rooted right here in Minnesota.”
Organizers say they will not lift the boycott unless Target reverses its DEI rollback and recommits to the pledges made in 2020. They also announced additional demands related to Target’s history of influencing criminal justice practices in Hennepin County.
As Minnesotans head into the busiest shopping week of the year, leaders urged families to direct their holiday spending elsewhere, even as Target ramps up major discounts to win back market share. “This is one of the most successful boycotts in modern U.S. history,” Levy Armstrong said. “And it started right here.”
Target Headquarters failed to respond to MSR for comment, which local advocates say speaks to their lack of concern.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.
We have no money to shop anywhere this year. Increase in health insurance premiums n foods left me with no money.
No one acknowledges the law suits in 30 states against Target for promoting Black owned business products over white owned business products. (I saw this promotion when I shopped online for coffee makers.) Target lawyers said they were going to lose the lawsuits if they didn’t give up that SEI promotional activity.
Target still hires far far more diversity than other major retailers, look at Costco especially, Walmart in many markets and so on.
If you can afford Target owned brands in groceries, they are quality products at good prices. They don’t have big margins in basic groceries. They make money on chips, soda, candy, house decor.