I appreciate this article. I’ve been boycotting Walmart and Amazon for years. I’ve been trying to remove two of my books from Amazon that I published more than 10 years ago but haven’t figured out how.
When I heard about Target I decided to boycott because DEI is too important. If we truly lived in a merit based society, DEI wouldn’t be necessary.
I listened to Tab’s video and honestly, though I appreciate her reasoning she benefits from staying in Target. What about all the other Black and Brown owned businesses. She mentioned the impact on them, but they are going to feel this the most. Targets roll back is going to have devastating consequences.
I’m a long term consumer of small businesses. I go directly to the business owner, independent bookstore, or a local business that supports businesses of color. If I can’t find a book locally I’ll sometimes go to B&N. If I want Tabs products I’ll go to Ulta, unless they choose to align with racist values.
I know that boycotting for me is a privilege. The Bay Area offers a wide variety of options to support Black owned, plenty of diverse choices.
I believe if Black people alone boycotted these businesses they would go bankrupt. They need us more than we need them. But conditioning and location keeps a lot of people stuck with limited choices.
I love and appreciate Tab, but I disagree with her. She’s an influencer and will likely be alright. It’s a disgrace that she’s being targeted for hateful comments, but unfortunately that’s the society we live in now. It will die down as haters find another focus for their poison.
I’ll continue to boycott big businesses and advocate for small, local businesses, especially Black, Brown, and Women-owned.
I appreciate you for putting your thoughts out there.
Great points! We don’t have a Target in my area and Walmart is a country mile away so I’ve been shopping local for years. When I’m introduced to a small business I try to support them as best as I can. I’ve been a small business owner (book store, photographer, soap maker, counseling private practice) and support was always little to none. I understand both sides of the coin, but I don’t think many others do. Thank you for taking the time to read my article and share your thoughts ♥️
Unfortunately, encouraging Black people to spend when they want to boycott is less of a solution than boycotting without strategy.
I don’t envy the situation Black-owned businesses are in however, I think Tabitha would have been better off if she waited and proposed firm solutions for people instead of asking Black people to spend at retailers who don’t respect them.
Our ancestors didn’t do that and neither should we.
This post is REQUIRED reading for all citizens. Superb analysis and excellent reporting of a complex situation. And Ms Christina’s comments are spot on about monopolistic companies. It’s no coincidence that Jeff Bezos studied and emulated the Walmart operations. Bravo to all involved in reporting this story.
Thank you so much for reading Valerie♥️ And I agree…Bezo’s was very intentional in how he built Amazon and in its pivots to become the giant that it is today.
The first thought I had when the Target backlash began was “how do we protect the black owned products?” We can’t cut our noses off to spite our face. I appreciate the points you make in your article about organization. I write about that in my book, FREEDOM. Until we learn to organize, we will continue to hurt each other more than help. ❤️🩹
I agree…no one is talking about how to protect them here and now. They are being offered as sacrifice and for what? Like what is the end goal? This boycott has no leadership, no direction, no tangible goals and that is dangerous, and I agree…it’s causing more harm than doing any good😒
We spoke about it as a family tonight and decided that for now, we shop at target for black owned products only- until they can move to Costco or where have you. It was so much easier in Europe because nearly everything was local and community based. It actually felt awkward and kind of gross to buy corporate there. America could learn from that and I think it will if these 15 minute cities come to pass. Although, that’s its own set of chaos. The world is changing. We have to change. As Octavia Butler wrote, “God is change.” I tend to agree.
I agree. I have the shop local experience because I live in a rural community. Our big box store experience is limited to one Walmart, which I absolutely hate shopping at. I also discovered that their prices aren’t always cheaper.
Yes there is no organization of, how do we get our people that have to stay in Target due to contracts out. I don't see our top dollar makers like men and women in the music industry + NBA, NFL,BET, Black Entertainment, etc backing these small businesses that are in these big box stores. None of them that I've heard so far are saying how can we get to where our people can get the products still, but don't have to shop at these big box stores? where's that organization? where's that help? I'm not worried about what my ancestors did. they did their job to get me where I'm at now. I'm talking about the here the now and the needle in the haystack!
Sweetie as a 65 years young black woman, I don’t need a leader to tell me what and why not to boycott a business. If said business sides with the enemy, in this case Target, I won’t be shopping there period no matter the casualties. Oh and by the way, there are organizers such as Pastor Jamal Bryant and others who are spearheading organized boycotts. I feel for Tabitha and others but know who you are getting into bed or in this case business with. Sometimes it’s better to do ish in your own. She does come off as condescending so she may want to watch some of her videos.
With all due respect, please don’t refer to me as sweetie. It feels condescending, especially since you’re my peer vs my elder. Secondly, Jamal Bryant leads one church which is in Atlanta, and is not affiliated with a national civil rights organization (which are the organizations I’m referring to). He, along with Roland Martin are not seen as influential to the entire Black community and their reach is limited. They don’t speak for everyone. Third, if you have decided that you no longer want to shop at Target that’s your right. God gave us all free will. I’m just here to share a different perspective and facts, because a lot of Black people are boycotting Target and only Target vs the numerous other businesses that have also ended their diversity programs, based on emotions and internet rage bait vs data. Honestly, the majority of Black folk on the internet have probably never shopped at Target a day in their life since we make up only 9% of their shopper demographics, while Whites make up 67% of their shoppers, with their ideal shopper being white suburban moms between the ages of 35-44. Fourth, when these Black suppliers began doing business with Target, the box store was seen as one of the most innovative because of their initiative to create shelf space and help expose small minority businesses to more consumers. And finally, y’all won’t have to worry about DEI in ANY business much longer because Trump and State Attorney Generals are starting to file lawsuits against them (which makes zero sense). In the meantime, why Black folk are running around mad at one business, y’all need to be up in arms about Musk having taken over 3 government agency and having access to all of your information including your SSN and banking. I hope you have a wonderful Saturday 😘
I listened to Tabitha’s video and she wasn’t condescending she was just explaining not to boycott the black businesses in target and continue supporting them. It’s very difficult to get your products into stores as a black business. She also explained she’s in a contract for the next year but when the contract is over she will decide what to do next. In these situations you have to think smart and not act on emotions.
We heard the same things Athina. She and the others have to do what’s best for their businesses. I’m pretty sure her lawyers have looked over her contract(s) and advised her on next moves.
People coming for Tabitha is so disappointing and really speaks to why as a community we are our own worst enemy. Things are nuanced and not Black and White. I just can't understand why it's such a hard concept to understand. Continue to support our black owned businesses at target which supports them directly And Boycott target for anything else. It's truly that simple. That's what a strategic boycott looks like. I appreciate this article and wish more people would take the time to understand the nuance. The owner of "The Doux" said the same exact thing but faced little backlash. People came for Tabitha because she has a larger visibility and that's really unfair.
I’m on the fence and see both sides. I have considered boycotting and had to dig deep to understand why I was so upset about target rollbacks. It was because their efforts were front and center on display daily not just special times of the year. It felt like breaking up with someone with whom much time and investment was made (sorta 😄). But it bothered me more than any of the other companies. Your commentary is spot on as there is no clear call to action. Unfortunately we lack the type of leadership in our communities and we have to have our own moral compass to guide our decisions for the good of the whole. Still not sure how I’ll proceed but I have not stepped into target other than to grab my prescriptions from the CVS inside. It felt oddly strange not to venture further in as per usual, but it also felt good to keep my coin!
I haven’t read the article yet but also don’t blame Ms. Tabatha for staying in Target. We’re all on Substack and can know for CERTAIN they don’t give AF about DEI. In fact, they are actively encouraging hate and white supremacy to run rampant here on the grounds of “free speech”.
Do you happen to know if there's a list of minority group owned brands that are on Target/Wal-mart/etc shelves? So we can support them directly rather than buying their products from the big box stores?
Flood target corporate with phone calls. I made a phone call about this decision last week and spoke with a like-minded member of their corporate staff. You must let target know how you feel about this.
Definitely hear what you’re saying. I liked what Nina Turner said about organizing this boycott to keep Target from pulling all these business off their shelves (by rolling back these programs) and we can continue supporting these black owned products/businesses by supporting them directly. I already do this and buy my hair care products directly from the stores online. I don’t blame any business owner for not breaking contract and feel bad about the hate Tabitha is getting, but I think this boycott would be affective and show the power of our dollar. But thought this video had good answers. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFarsL0u89Z/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Nah, f the contracts! It’s all made up anyway. We gotta quit playing their game and instead be courageous and play our own. Organization is key though and sadly, we ain’t there (yet).
Tab should keep her products in Target. Go in, buy her products. Show them we value her. Also, while I would love to completely stop shopping there, I have cut back considerably. They don’t need all my coin and in this environment, it’s better for my wallet if I don’t.
Finally. someone who gets it and puts it all together. I was on IG watching the backlash and like how in the world are ya'll mad at Tab when the app you're on rolled their DEI back even before it was a mandate.
Thank you ♥️ And yes, I had the same sentiments about people expressing outrage on IG and FB, and either not understanding or willingly ignoring that Meta has a DEI issue too🥴
I love Tab and I love supporting black own businesses.. Can we buy directly from Black business owners instead of Target, Walmart Publix and others that turned their backs on people of color?
I appreciate this article. I’ve been boycotting Walmart and Amazon for years. I’ve been trying to remove two of my books from Amazon that I published more than 10 years ago but haven’t figured out how.
When I heard about Target I decided to boycott because DEI is too important. If we truly lived in a merit based society, DEI wouldn’t be necessary.
I listened to Tab’s video and honestly, though I appreciate her reasoning she benefits from staying in Target. What about all the other Black and Brown owned businesses. She mentioned the impact on them, but they are going to feel this the most. Targets roll back is going to have devastating consequences.
I’m a long term consumer of small businesses. I go directly to the business owner, independent bookstore, or a local business that supports businesses of color. If I can’t find a book locally I’ll sometimes go to B&N. If I want Tabs products I’ll go to Ulta, unless they choose to align with racist values.
I know that boycotting for me is a privilege. The Bay Area offers a wide variety of options to support Black owned, plenty of diverse choices.
I believe if Black people alone boycotted these businesses they would go bankrupt. They need us more than we need them. But conditioning and location keeps a lot of people stuck with limited choices.
I love and appreciate Tab, but I disagree with her. She’s an influencer and will likely be alright. It’s a disgrace that she’s being targeted for hateful comments, but unfortunately that’s the society we live in now. It will die down as haters find another focus for their poison.
I’ll continue to boycott big businesses and advocate for small, local businesses, especially Black, Brown, and Women-owned.
I appreciate you for putting your thoughts out there.
Great points! We don’t have a Target in my area and Walmart is a country mile away so I’ve been shopping local for years. When I’m introduced to a small business I try to support them as best as I can. I’ve been a small business owner (book store, photographer, soap maker, counseling private practice) and support was always little to none. I understand both sides of the coin, but I don’t think many others do. Thank you for taking the time to read my article and share your thoughts ♥️
Absolutely! We need more honest, respectful points of view so your thoughts were right on time.
Am boycotting target, Walmart, Amazon. And most of the main grocery stores, like Publix for example. All bastards.
It’s a nuanced situation for sure.
Unfortunately, encouraging Black people to spend when they want to boycott is less of a solution than boycotting without strategy.
I don’t envy the situation Black-owned businesses are in however, I think Tabitha would have been better off if she waited and proposed firm solutions for people instead of asking Black people to spend at retailers who don’t respect them.
Our ancestors didn’t do that and neither should we.
Good points!
Sounds like her
This post is REQUIRED reading for all citizens. Superb analysis and excellent reporting of a complex situation. And Ms Christina’s comments are spot on about monopolistic companies. It’s no coincidence that Jeff Bezos studied and emulated the Walmart operations. Bravo to all involved in reporting this story.
Thank you so much for reading Valerie♥️ And I agree…Bezo’s was very intentional in how he built Amazon and in its pivots to become the giant that it is today.
My thoughts exactly!
The first thought I had when the Target backlash began was “how do we protect the black owned products?” We can’t cut our noses off to spite our face. I appreciate the points you make in your article about organization. I write about that in my book, FREEDOM. Until we learn to organize, we will continue to hurt each other more than help. ❤️🩹
I agree…no one is talking about how to protect them here and now. They are being offered as sacrifice and for what? Like what is the end goal? This boycott has no leadership, no direction, no tangible goals and that is dangerous, and I agree…it’s causing more harm than doing any good😒
We spoke about it as a family tonight and decided that for now, we shop at target for black owned products only- until they can move to Costco or where have you. It was so much easier in Europe because nearly everything was local and community based. It actually felt awkward and kind of gross to buy corporate there. America could learn from that and I think it will if these 15 minute cities come to pass. Although, that’s its own set of chaos. The world is changing. We have to change. As Octavia Butler wrote, “God is change.” I tend to agree.
I agree. I have the shop local experience because I live in a rural community. Our big box store experience is limited to one Walmart, which I absolutely hate shopping at. I also discovered that their prices aren’t always cheaper.
Exactly!
Yes there is no organization of, how do we get our people that have to stay in Target due to contracts out. I don't see our top dollar makers like men and women in the music industry + NBA, NFL,BET, Black Entertainment, etc backing these small businesses that are in these big box stores. None of them that I've heard so far are saying how can we get to where our people can get the products still, but don't have to shop at these big box stores? where's that organization? where's that help? I'm not worried about what my ancestors did. they did their job to get me where I'm at now. I'm talking about the here the now and the needle in the haystack!
Great points!
Sweetie as a 65 years young black woman, I don’t need a leader to tell me what and why not to boycott a business. If said business sides with the enemy, in this case Target, I won’t be shopping there period no matter the casualties. Oh and by the way, there are organizers such as Pastor Jamal Bryant and others who are spearheading organized boycotts. I feel for Tabitha and others but know who you are getting into bed or in this case business with. Sometimes it’s better to do ish in your own. She does come off as condescending so she may want to watch some of her videos.
With all due respect, please don’t refer to me as sweetie. It feels condescending, especially since you’re my peer vs my elder. Secondly, Jamal Bryant leads one church which is in Atlanta, and is not affiliated with a national civil rights organization (which are the organizations I’m referring to). He, along with Roland Martin are not seen as influential to the entire Black community and their reach is limited. They don’t speak for everyone. Third, if you have decided that you no longer want to shop at Target that’s your right. God gave us all free will. I’m just here to share a different perspective and facts, because a lot of Black people are boycotting Target and only Target vs the numerous other businesses that have also ended their diversity programs, based on emotions and internet rage bait vs data. Honestly, the majority of Black folk on the internet have probably never shopped at Target a day in their life since we make up only 9% of their shopper demographics, while Whites make up 67% of their shoppers, with their ideal shopper being white suburban moms between the ages of 35-44. Fourth, when these Black suppliers began doing business with Target, the box store was seen as one of the most innovative because of their initiative to create shelf space and help expose small minority businesses to more consumers. And finally, y’all won’t have to worry about DEI in ANY business much longer because Trump and State Attorney Generals are starting to file lawsuits against them (which makes zero sense). In the meantime, why Black folk are running around mad at one business, y’all need to be up in arms about Musk having taken over 3 government agency and having access to all of your information including your SSN and banking. I hope you have a wonderful Saturday 😘
I listened to Tabitha’s video and she wasn’t condescending she was just explaining not to boycott the black businesses in target and continue supporting them. It’s very difficult to get your products into stores as a black business. She also explained she’s in a contract for the next year but when the contract is over she will decide what to do next. In these situations you have to think smart and not act on emotions.
We heard the same things Athina. She and the others have to do what’s best for their businesses. I’m pretty sure her lawyers have looked over her contract(s) and advised her on next moves.
Yh exactly!!.
People coming for Tabitha is so disappointing and really speaks to why as a community we are our own worst enemy. Things are nuanced and not Black and White. I just can't understand why it's such a hard concept to understand. Continue to support our black owned businesses at target which supports them directly And Boycott target for anything else. It's truly that simple. That's what a strategic boycott looks like. I appreciate this article and wish more people would take the time to understand the nuance. The owner of "The Doux" said the same exact thing but faced little backlash. People came for Tabitha because she has a larger visibility and that's really unfair.
I’m on the fence and see both sides. I have considered boycotting and had to dig deep to understand why I was so upset about target rollbacks. It was because their efforts were front and center on display daily not just special times of the year. It felt like breaking up with someone with whom much time and investment was made (sorta 😄). But it bothered me more than any of the other companies. Your commentary is spot on as there is no clear call to action. Unfortunately we lack the type of leadership in our communities and we have to have our own moral compass to guide our decisions for the good of the whole. Still not sure how I’ll proceed but I have not stepped into target other than to grab my prescriptions from the CVS inside. It felt oddly strange not to venture further in as per usual, but it also felt good to keep my coin!
I love the breakup comparison ❤️🩹 And your feelings are valid!
I haven’t read the article yet but also don’t blame Ms. Tabatha for staying in Target. We’re all on Substack and can know for CERTAIN they don’t give AF about DEI. In fact, they are actively encouraging hate and white supremacy to run rampant here on the grounds of “free speech”.
Do you happen to know if there's a list of minority group owned brands that are on Target/Wal-mart/etc shelves? So we can support them directly rather than buying their products from the big box stores?
I found this list from 2024: https://blog.obws.com/black-owned-brands-at-target/amp/
Thank you!
Flood target corporate with phone calls. I made a phone call about this decision last week and spoke with a like-minded member of their corporate staff. You must let target know how you feel about this.
I told the woman with whom I spoke that I would never go inside a target again until they reversed their decision. That is what they understand.
It’s complicated. Thanks for this perspective. I am so disappointed in Target and their performative bull.
I have taken to googling companies and buying direct the best I can. Here’s are 150 of them and websites provided by someone other than me: https://www.ijeomakola.com/black-owned-brands-target/
Thank you for sharing ♥️♥️♥️
Definitely hear what you’re saying. I liked what Nina Turner said about organizing this boycott to keep Target from pulling all these business off their shelves (by rolling back these programs) and we can continue supporting these black owned products/businesses by supporting them directly. I already do this and buy my hair care products directly from the stores online. I don’t blame any business owner for not breaking contract and feel bad about the hate Tabitha is getting, but I think this boycott would be affective and show the power of our dollar. But thought this video had good answers. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFarsL0u89Z/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
Nah, f the contracts! It’s all made up anyway. We gotta quit playing their game and instead be courageous and play our own. Organization is key though and sadly, we ain’t there (yet).
Tab should keep her products in Target. Go in, buy her products. Show them we value her. Also, while I would love to completely stop shopping there, I have cut back considerably. They don’t need all my coin and in this environment, it’s better for my wallet if I don’t.
Finally. someone who gets it and puts it all together. I was on IG watching the backlash and like how in the world are ya'll mad at Tab when the app you're on rolled their DEI back even before it was a mandate.
Thank you ♥️ And yes, I had the same sentiments about people expressing outrage on IG and FB, and either not understanding or willingly ignoring that Meta has a DEI issue too🥴
I love Tab and I love supporting black own businesses.. Can we buy directly from Black business owners instead of Target, Walmart Publix and others that turned their backs on people of color?
Yes, you definitely can.