By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The NAACP is urging Black Americans to direct their economic power toward companies that have maintained their commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion as corporate America faces mounting conservative pressure. The civil rights organization has released a spending guide identifying businesses that have upheld or reversed their DEI promises, stressing the importance of economic leverage in fighting racial equity.
The initiative comes as Black consumers are projected to spend nearly $2 trillion by 2030, according to the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said that corporations rejecting multiculturalism are putting themselves at a disadvantage in a changing economy.
“Diversity is better for the bottom line,” Johnson told the Associated Press. “In a global economy, those who reject the multicultural nature of consumerism and business will be left in the past they are living in.”
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, has also launched a national public education and selective buying campaign in response to corporations abandoning their DEI commitments. NNPA Chairman Emeritus Danny Bakewell Sr. said the moment calls for Black-owned media to take decisive action and hold businesses accountable for rolling back programs that support equity and inclusion.
NNPA Chairman Bobby R. Henry Sr. said the Black Press remains firm as a watchdog and will not be silent as corporate America shifts toward policies that threaten economic opportunities for Black communities. He said the rapid reversal of diversity commitments directly attacks progress, and the Black Press will continue to ensure that families and communities remain informed about these issues.
During a recent meeting of NNPA publishers and editors, members agreed to launch a public education campaign that will include research on corporations engaging in practices perpetuating economic and racial injustice. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said Black consumers have long fueled the economy and should rethink their spending habits when companies fail to show respect. He noted that Black Americans spend $2 trillion annually and must now evaluate why they continue to support businesses that do not value their contributions. Chavis added that it is time to challenge these contradictions, making it clear that 50 million Black Americans will not accept policies that erode the progress made in the fight for equality and inclusion.
Like the NNPA, the NAACP’s initiative includes a selective buying campaign targeting companies that have walked away from DEI commitments, with a significant focus on Target. Dr. Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, has called for a 40-day economic fast against the retailer, urging 100,000 people to stop spending at Target in response to its recent decision to phase out DEI initiatives. Bryant said Target initially pledged $2 billion in investments to Black-owned businesses following the murder of George Floyd but canceled that commitment when it announced its retreat from DEI in January.
“Black people spend $12 million a day at Target,” Bryant said during an appearance on the Black Press’ Let It Be Known news program. “Because of how many dollars are spent there and the absence of commitment to our community, we are focusing on Target first.”
The campaign coincides with Lent and aims to use Black economic power to hold corporations accountable. Within one week, more than 50,000 people signed on to the effort at targetfast.org.
The NAACP clarified that its effort is not a boycott but an economic “buy-in” strategy, encouraging consumers to spend their money with companies that align with their values. Keisha Bross, a financial strategist at the NAACP, said the Black Consumer Advisory provides a clear picture of where businesses stand on DEI. The advisory names Delta Airlines, Apple, and Ben & Jerry’s as companies that have remained committed to diversity. McDonald’s, Meta, and Walmart are listed among those who have left past commitments.
The civil rights group said the rollback of DEI initiatives directly threatens economic opportunities, workplace diversity, and community investments. The elimination of DEI roles, reductions in supplier diversity, and declines in community investments make it harder for Black professionals and entrepreneurs to compete. The shift away from equitable hiring practices is further marginalizing people of color, and the group warned that corporations are using the concept of meritocracy to justify exclusion.
“We encourage you to spend your money where you’re respected, support Black-owned businesses, and demand businesses prioritize people over profit,” the NAACP said in a statement. “Above all, we must continue to advocate for policies that ensure people of color, women, veterans, those with a disability, and all protected groups have equal access to opportunities across the country.”
