Goal DEI Boycott Is Over—Or Is It It?

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 12, 2026

Bryant said he will continue to hold Target accountable to Black consumers, employees, and communities.

After a year and change, the national Target boycott over its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies has ended, according to the boycott’s leader, Pastor Jamal Bryant, but without any changes to the policies.

Social media users are not giving up the fight.

Bryant, senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church outside Atlanta, told USA Today that the boycott made eye-opening progress, but he will continue to hold Target accountable to Black consumers, employees, and communities. Bryant said the retail giant still has some components of DEI left.

“They have a program called Belonging, which gives access to everybody, not just for entry-level positions, but to be able to ascend into C-suites,” he said. “It is essentially DEI as I read it. It is the exact same thing.”

But data shows otherwise. Target failed to offer concessions or to reverse the changes made following President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order.

Since the March 2025 boycott started, foot traffic had dropped by nearly 8% overall, and the corporation’s stock declined from $145 to $93 per share in 2025. This slump eliminated almost $12 billion in market value, putting the boycott’s effectiveness and reach on the map.

Target’s former CEO, Brian Cornell, also stepped down and was replaced by COO Michael Fiddelke.

In a statement, Target said it is “more committed than ever to creating growth and opportunity for all. We’re pleased to be moving forward, and we will continue showing up as trusted neighbors while delivering results for our team members, guests, and the more than 2,000 communities in which we serve.”

Social media users and diversity advocates say they will continue to boycott Target without an end date in sight. On X, @nikkibarnes said as long as the Trump Administration is in office, the boycott still stands.

“@target caved to THIS administration. As long as THIS administration is in power, the boycott STANDS. I don’t care WTF Bryant is talking about,” she wrote.

Good morning, @target caved to THIS administration. As long as THIS administration is in power the boycott STANDS.

I don’t care WTF Bryant is talking about.

— 𝓝𝓲𝓴𝓴𝓲 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼 (@NikkiBarnes) March 12, 2026

After Roland Martin made the announcement on X, @KYMOTOSIS retweeted and added, “The boycott of Target had nothing to do with religion. It’s about respect! I’m still not going to target.”

Another user said Target should have done better on their promises, and maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation. “Target would rather spend their marketing budget to launch a media campaign falsely declaring the boycott is over rather than apologize publicly, reverse the policies that led to this, and meaningfully invest in the communities they wronged,” @fallonfoxx wrote with hashtags #TargetBoycott #Boycott4Ever.

Target would rather spend their marketing budget to launch a media campaign falsely declaring the boycott is over rather than apologize publicly, reverse the policies that led to this, and meaningfully invest into the communities they wronged. #TargetBoycott #Boycott4Ever

— champagne kisses 🥂💋 (@FallonFoxx) March 12, 2026

Advocates and civil rights attorneys like Nekima Armstrong rebuked Bryant’s statements. Since many shoppers felt “betrayed” by Target after believing the company was a “hometown company that invested in our community,” the boycott must continue, Armstrong said, according to Fox 9.

“From the beginning, we said the Target boycott would be indefinite, unless and until Target took the steps to address the fact that they rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to capitulate to the Trump administration.”

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