Mel Rising Dawn Cordeiro
News Editor
Various activist groups are spearheading calls for widespread boycotts, protesting corporate decisions to scale back or eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These actions come in the wake of President Donald Trump's push for policies that undermine such programs.
One of the most notable campaigns is the proposed “economic blackout,” which was scheduled for Feb. 28. On this day, consumers were urged to refrain from making any purchases, both in-store and online. The movement gained traction, particularly on social media, with numerous activists and organizations spreading the word.
The People’s Union, one of the key groups behind the blackout, is calling for collective action as a response to corporate compliance with Trump's rollback of DEI policies. John Schwarz, the founder of the group, emphasized the power of consumer action in a February 12 interview with USA Today. He framed the boycott as an opportunity to “get people together” and challenge corporate complacency.
“The economic blackout is about getting people together, up off the couch, so to speak, to do something together,” Schwarz said. He added that the event would be a reminder of the power of everyday people. “For one day, we turn it off for one day. We shut it down for one day. We remind them that this country does not belong to the elite, it belongs to the people, and this will work,” he stated. Walmart, one of the largest retailers in the U.S., is specifically targeted for the blackout, along with other major companies such as Amazon and Best Buy.
The "economic blackout" called for a 24-hour boycott to occur on Feb. 28, with participants avoiding any purchases across all platforms. In a video posted under the Instagram handle “TheOneCalledJai,” Schwarz further explained the goal of the event: to demonstrate the power of consumers and pressure corporations to reverse their DEI rollbacks.
“We remind them who has the power,” he said. “If enough of us participate, they will feel it, and if they don't listen, we escalate.” Schwarz’s message is clear: consumers must make their voices heard by choosing not to spend their money, particularly at large retailers that have chosen to scale back DEI programs in response to political pressure.
In addition to Walmart, the People’s Union has named Amazon, Nestle, and Best Buy as key targets for future boycotts. Other groups, including civil rights activists in Minnesota, are joining the boycott movement, urging people to avoid shopping at Target. This specific call to action comes after the Minneapolis-based retailer made the controversial decision to phase out DEI initiatives, a move that civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong has called “a slap in the face.”
In response, Armstrong and other activists have organized additional protests, including a “Target fast,” encouraging people not to shop at the retail giant during the Lenten season and to divest from Target stock due to its retreat from DEI commitments.
In a similar vein, the Latino Freeze Movement has announced a selective shopping campaign, urging Latino consumers to avoid companies that have rolled back DEI initiatives. The group has specifically named over a dozen corporations, including Coca-Cola, in their boycott call.
These boycotts are part of a broader, nationwide backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which have become a focal point of political debates and corporate policy changes. Though some corporations have stood firm in supporting DEI efforts, others have backpedaled in response to mounting pressure from conservative groups and political leaders. For example, McDonald’s and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, have recently made headlines for scaling back their DEI efforts, signaling a larger shift among major corporations. Meanwhile, Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, has also rolled back its DEI policies under pressure.
As these movements gain steam, they continue to highlight the intersection of politics, corporate influence, and consumer activism in shaping the future of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Boycott efforts are ramping up but this question remains: will these actions prompt corporations to reconsider their stance on DEI, or will the pressure from political figures and conservative investors prove stronger?