Pastor Jamal Bryant announced the end of a yearlong Target boycott over its DEI rollbacks at a March 11 press conference, claiming “victory had been won.” But not all shoppers are ready to return, and the leaders of a second national boycott say the battle is not over. Bryant, who railed agai nst Target’s decision to end its workplace and supplier diversity programs, launched the nationwide “Target Fast” on March 5, 2025. Now he wholeheartedly praises the company for meeting three out of the four demands laid out by organizers last year. New Birth Missionary Baptist Pastor Jamal Bryant speaks on a Black Star Week panel on June 16, 2025. (Photo: ABS) “History has just been made,” the pastor said in a video uploaded to Instagram. “The most effective and powerful boycott by Black people since the Montgomery bus boycott 70 years ago. We asked for four things, and I’m grateful to God that we got three of them.” ‘It Is a Lot Cheaper to Show Respect’: Virginia Locksmith Questions Whether Black Woman Runs Chick-fil-A Restaurant and Gets Humbled in the Best Way As he highlighted the victories, he assured supporters that “our efforts are not in vain.” First, Target said it would “soon” fulfill the $2 billion commitment to invest in Black businesses, made after George Floyd’s death. According to Bryant, the pledge is 97 percent complete and will include an additional $100 million “to immediate organizations that are meeting the needs within our community.” Progress was also made on the push to open retail training centers at HBCUs. He said Target is testing a partnership that will serve as a model for 12 future collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities. “Number three,” he continued, “a reimagining of DEI. It’s been a rough year for our community. Three hundred thousand Black women have lost their jobs, and this is the highest unemployment for our people in years.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pastor Jamal Bryant (@jamalhbryant) While the boycott had its intended impact on Target, triggering a $20 billion loss in market value within the first seven months, it remains unclear what the DEI “reimagining” will involve and when it will occur. A spokesperson for Bryant confirmed that Target has not yet offered concessions or undone the changes the company made to its DEI policies since Trump took office last January. “There are no new concessions, no reversals,” Bryant’s spokesperson, Ebony Porter-Ike, told USA Today. The fourth demand, to make $250 million in deposits at Black-owned banks, has not been achieved, but Bryant said his group is working to facilitate this and is optimistic that progress will be made under new CEO Michael Fiddelke. “I’m believing by grace it’s going to get done,” said Bryant, “This new CEO has come handling business, and I’m glad to walk with him.” Meanwhile, leaders of the first national boycott against Target—organized by the Racial Justice Network—have stated they are not backing down. On the same day as Bryant’s announcement, the Racial Justice Network held a press conference outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters to urge shoppers to continue boycotting the retailer. Founder Nekima Levy Armstrong challenged Bryant’s claim of victory, saying, “ How can you call off a boycott focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion and have no results to show for it? That is a slap in the face for the people. “But who’s standing here? The people who actually called the boycott. The people who were actually willing to hold this company accountable and are not willing to compromise with Target Corporation until they do the right thing by the people of Minnesota and the people across this nation.” She added, “This Target boycott is not over.” ‘A Slap in the Face’: Jamal Bryant Declares End of Target Boycott After $2 Billion Investment In Black Businesses, But Protestors Say No So Fast ...read more read less