Several companies have been targeted in a new Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday boycott aimed at denting profits of powerhouse businesses deemed aligned with the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The boycott organizer, We Ain’t Buying It, said on its website that the boycott “designed is to defend democracy and reclaim community power.”
“We’re asking Americans to hit pause on shopping from major corporations that have caved to the administration’s policies. Instead, we’ll stand together for family, freedom, and the future we deserve,” the group wrote.
Why It Matters
Since Trump began his second term in the White House, some corporations have shifted their stances on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
This is largely in response to Trump’s previous executive order that mandated the end of government-funded DEI efforts and related roles, which pressed the private sector to steer away from DEI priorities.
What To Know
We Ain’t Buying It will be hosting the boycott from November 27 to December 1 against Target, Amazon and The Home Depot.
“Target has rolled back their DEI initiatives, which included ending programs that help Black employees advance, cutting financial support for Black-Owned businesses, and removing LGBTQ+ products from their stores,” the group’s website said.
In January, Target said it would be revising its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy, which included termination of a DEI program designed to help Black employees build their careers and enhance the shopping experience for Black customers. The program was established following the 2020 killing of George Floyd during an arrest by Derek Chauvin, then a Minneapolis police officer.
The boycott also includes Amazon, due to its “monopolistic position in the market” as well as working conditions and donations granted by CEO Jeff Bezos, We Ain’t Buying It said. Amazon donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund.
The protest’s organizer also calls out The Home Depot, saying the company allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to illegally detain and kidnap laborers from its stores. Previously, the company denied these claims, saying in a statement that it “is not notified that ICE activities are going to happen, and we aren’t involved in the operations.”
Newsweek reached out to the three companies for comment via email.
Every year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday usher in millions of shoppers, both in stores and online. And retailers historically cite Thanksgiving week as among their most important.
Boycott organizers urge shoppers to support businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs, immigrants and other people of color, along with small and local shops.
Newsweek reached out to We Ain’t Buying It for comment via email.
Previously, a different group, the People’s Union USA, held an “economic blackout” against “big box” stores including Walmart, Amazon, CVS and Starbucks.
What People Are Saying
We Ain’t Buying It, on its website: “This action is taking direct aim at Target, for caving to this administration’s biased attacks on DEI; Home Depot, for allowing and colluding with ICE to kidnap our neighbors on their properties; and Amazon, for funding this administration to secure their own corporate tax cuts. We’ll send a clear message: until they cease collaborating with this administration’s harmful policies, our dollars will go elsewhere.”
Home Depot, previously on X: “We aren’t involved in ICE activities, and we aren’t notified when they are going to happen. We’re required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate.”
Michael Ryan, finance expert and founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, previously to Newsweek about economic blackouts: “The boycott specifically exempts small, local businesses. Which organizers are actively encouraging people to support instead. It’s not about spending nothing, it’s about spending differently.”
What Happens Next
Consumers are expected to boycott the three retail giants from November 27 to December 1, but participation levels remain unclear. If the boycotts cut deeply enough into retailers’ profits, the companies could be pushed to change their policies, but the protests’ full impact is uncertain.
