Greene County Democrat

Tag: (DEI) initiatives

  • Newswire : Target caught in DEI crossfire as lawsuits, boycotts, and actions mount

    By Stacy M. Brown
    NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    Target Corporation, which recently scaled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, is facing financial consequences, community backlash, and new legal challenges from both sides of the political spectrum. The retail giant’s decision to retreat from its DEI commitments and Pride Month merchandise has drawn conservative-led lawsuits while also fueling boycotts and economic pressure from civil rights groups.
    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and America First Legal, founded by President Trump adviser Stephen Miller, have filed a lawsuit against Target. The suit, brought on behalf of a Florida board overseeing state pensions, alleges the company failed to disclose the financial risks associated with its DEI programs and 2023 Pride Month collection. The legal action is the latest in a wave of conservative attacks on corporate diversity efforts, aligning with former President Donald Trump’s push to dismantle DEI policies in both government and private sectors.
    At the same time, Target’s DEI retreat has provoked backlashes from civil rights groups, Democratic leaders, and even the heirs of one of Target’s founders, who argue that diversity is good business and should not be abandoned under political pressure. The company’s decision to reduce minority hiring targets and discontinue reports to diversity-focused organizations led to an 8.7% drop in its stock value. Data from Placer.ai shows store traffic decreased by 4% following Trump’s executive order banning federal DEI initiatives, with an additional 9% decline the following week. Walmart experienced a dip of less than 3% during the same period.
    In Minneapolis—Target’s headquarters and the city where George Floyd’s murder sparked national protests—civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong urged consumers to boycott the retailer. “We thought Target would stand firm in its values,” Armstrong told reporters at a news conference. “Instead, they bowed to the Trump administration. We will not step back.”
    Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the company should be held accountable for turning its back on DEI. “If you were moved by George Floyd’s murder to seek justice, it’s time to boycott Target,” Hussein told PBS.
    The boycott movement has gained traction, with local Black Lives Matter chapters participating in events where activists cut up their Target credit cards. Organizers have encouraged consumers to shop at companies like Costco, which recently reaffirmed its DEI commitments.
    The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, and civil rights organizations like the NAACP have launched campaigns to inform Black consumers about corporate retreats from diversity initiatives. “Black Americans spend $2 trillion annually. We must reconsider supporting businesses that disregard our contributions,” said NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. vowed that the Black Press would hold corporations accountable. “We will not be silent while corporations reverse progress that directly affects Black communities,” Henry asserted.
    Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, has called for a 40-day “economic fast” targeting Target. “Black people spend $12 million a day at Target,” Bryant stated during an appearance on Let It Be Known. “We’re focusing on Target first because of their broken promises to our community.” The campaign, which coincides with Lent, has drawn over 50,000 participants within a week at targetfast.org.

    Target now finds itself under pressure from both conservative and progressive forces. After previously positioning itself as a leader in corporate diversity, the company has been forced into a balancing act that has left it vulnerable on all sides.
    “We encourage you to spend your money where you’re respected, support Black-owned businesses, and demand businesses prioritize people over profit,” said Keisha Bross, financial strategist at the NAACP.

  • Newswire : NFL drops ‘End Racism’ from Super Bowl field, Bows to Trump’s anti-DEI Agenda

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The NFL has confirmed that it will remove the phrase “End Racism” from the end zones at Caesars Superdome ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl, replacing it with the neutral “Choose Love.

    ” The move comes as Donald Trump and his allies escalate attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and major corporations—including the NFL—bend to right-wing pressure. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy defended the decision, claiming the change was tied to recent national tragedies, including wildfires in California, the terrorist attack in New Orleans, and fatal plane crashes in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

    “‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in Southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital, and the plane crash in Philadelphia,” McCarthy said.

    The shift comes as Trump prepares to attend the Super Bowl. Since returning to power in January, Trump has aggressively targeted DEI programs, signing an executive order on his first day in office to dismantle diversity initiatives in federal agencies. Last week, following the midair collision of an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., Trump baselessly blamed DEI policies, continuing a pattern of using national tragedies to fuel racist propaganda.
    The NFL’s History of Profiting from Social Justice

    In 2024, approximately 53.5 percent of NFL players and 36.6 percent of assistant coaches were African American. Yet, when racial justice was at the forefront in 2019, the league was at odds with the Movement for Black Lives. To smooth things over, the NFL turned to Jay-Z. That year, after blackballing former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling in protest of police brutality, the NFL announced a partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. The deal gave Roc Nation control over the Super Bowl halftime show, leading to high-profile performances and a star-studded entertainment spectacle each year.
    However, the social justice component of Jay-Z’s partnership has often been forgotten. Critics accused the rapper-turned-mogul of selling out, especially given his history of boycotting corporations he deemed racist. In 1999, Jay-Z refused to attend the Grammys after the award show ignored DMX’s record-breaking success.

    In 2006, he called out luxury brand Cristal for dismissing hip-hop culture and immediately stopped selling the champagne at his 40/40 Club. “It has come to my attention that the managing director of Cristal, Frédéric Rouzaud, views the ‘hip-hop’ culture as ‘unwelcome attention,’” Jay-Z said at the time,per Decanter magazine. “I view his comments as racist and will no longer support any of his products through any of my various brands, including the 40/40 Club, nor in my personal life.”

    Despite Jay-Z’s past activism, many argue his NFL deal did little to advance social justice within the league. In 2022, USA Today’s Mike Freeman wrote, “There isn’t a single, tangible thing you can point to that shows Jay-Z helping with the league’s social justice efforts.”

    The NFL’s Pivot and the Response
    NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s DEI efforts at a press conference Monday, dismissing concerns that the removal of “End Racism” signaled a shift away from diversity. “Our policies have been designed to be well within the law, well within the practice,” Goodell said. “There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL.” But critics argue that the NFL is retreating in the face of Trump’s influence. “Guess what @nfl? If you’re against ‘Stop Racism,’ that means you’re FOR… Racism. F–k you and every one of your advertisers,” former ESPN host Keith Olbermann wrote on X.
    Tennis legend Martina Navratilova called the NFL “F…n cowards.”

    Cleveland sports radio host Daryl Ruiter criticized the league’s performative activism, saying, “Sad to see NFL’s performance art, literally on the field, go. Painting slogans on fields was good for business for a bit to show people you at least pretend to care.” NFL reporter Mike Freeman summed up the reaction: “Well, I guess racism is over.”