Latest news with #NationalBaptistConvention
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Target donated $300,000 to a Black church group. Why boycott activists want it returned.
Target has donated $300,000 to the National Baptist Convention and two separate leaders of boycotts against the retailer are calling for the church organization to return the gift. In separate comments, Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minnesota activist who launched a Target boycott on Feb. 1 and Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, who encouraged members of the Black faith community to boycott for 40 days and now permanently stay away from the retailer, have said the acceptance by the Black church organization works against their efforts. Both boycotts are in response to what Levy Armstrong and Bryant say were efforts by Target to turn its back on the Black community when it rolled back its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. What was the $300,000 donation from Target? A Target spokesman provided USA TODAY with a statement when asked about the donation: 'We're proud to be sponsoring NBCUSA's conference series as one of the many ways we invest to make a meaningful impact in communities across the country by supporting access to education, economic development initiatives and entrepreneurship programs." The National Baptist Convention did not return an email and phone inquiry from USA TODAY seeking comment on the donation and the calls for its return. However, in a press release provided to other media outlets, National Baptist Convention President Boise Kimber said the partnership is based on a 'shared commitment to community empowerment through small-business and entrepreneur development, investments in education and student support, and workforce and skill development that unlocks growth across our communities.' Kimber said the donation will help the church organization 'provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future.' Black faith leader rejects donation, calls for its return During a Sunday sermon at his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, on June 22, Bryant decried Target's donation to the National Baptist Convention. He accused Target, whose CEO had met with Bryant and the Rev. Al Sharpton in April, of "going around" him to the National Baptist Convention. "Are you crazy to think we're going to sell out for chump change?" Bryant said. In an interview with USA TODAY, Bryant said Target's donation to the National Baptist Convention, which Bryant said is not affiliated with his church, was actually four donations of $75,000 to Black church organizations that the National Baptist Convention received and split. "It's really a slap in the face and an insult," Bryant said of the donation and the National Baptist Convention accepting the money. Bryant has called for the money to be returned to Target. Consumer boycotts continue: 31% are participating. See where and why As part of his Target boycott, Bryant has made four demands, including honoring a $2 billion pledge to the Black business community that Target previously had in place, which entailed purchasing Black-owned products, services and investing in Black media. Bryant has also called for the retailer to invest in Black-owned banks, establish retail centers at historically Black college and universities and fully restore DEI initiatives. "The black eye for us is that they (National Baptist Convention) walked away with nothing that we asked for," Bryant said. Target previously released a statement on May 28 in response to Bryant's Target blackout and demands. "Target is absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners,'' it read. "In the last five years, we have: committed to invest $2 billion in Black-owned businesses and brands within five years; supported students at over 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); invested $100 million to Black-led community organizations; given scholarships to over 30,000 members of our team to advance their careers; committed 5% of our profits to the communities we operate in; volunteered millions of hours to organizations across the country and created meaningful opportunities for our team members to thrive both personally and professionally." Community organizer takes issue with donation and Bryant In a separate open letter sent to the National Baptist Convention and shared with USA TODAY, Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, urged the church group "to reconsider its alignment with a corporation that has caused such profound harm. "This $300,000 payment does not heal – it deepens the wound. It appears to be a payout for silence and an attempt to regain Black consumer trust without accountability," the letter stated. The letter was also signed by fellow organizers Monique Cullars-Doty, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-Minnesota (Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota). The letter also took issue with Bryant, saying he was aware of the Target boycott, which started on Feb. 1, and expressed interest in joining the effort. But then Bryant repackaged the work as his own, creating a separate campaign and erasing the women's work. The women said it was reflective of a long, painful history of Black women organizers being pushed aside. Bryant told USA TODAY that he has honored Levy Armstrong and said from the start that he did not start the Target boycott." "My focus was singularly to align with the Black churches as Black churches were not involved or engaged," he said. "I'd say everywhere from the rooftops that we were not the originators of it, but it was our intention to bring out the Black church alongside." This story has been updated to fix a typo. Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Uproar erupts over Target's $300K donation to church group Solve the daily Crossword
Black America Web
08-07-2025
- Business
- Black America Web
Target Donates $300K To Black Church Group, Activists Want It Returned
Source: (Photo by) / (Photo by) In what several activists and spiritual leaders view as an underhanded effort to court Black dollars, Target donated $300,000 to the National Baptist Convention amidst several ongoing Target boycotts nationwide. According to USA Today, both Rev. Jamal Bryant and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong say the church group accepting the donation does a disservice to their separate, ongoing Target boycotts. Bryant initially called for a 40-day Target boycott before going on to call for a full boycott over the company rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives earlier this year. Levy Armstong, a Minnesota activist, called for a Target boycott in February for similar reasons. Bryant, who is Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Ga., made several demands in his call for a Target boycott. The boycott calls for Target to honor a $2 billion pledge to the Black business community the company previously made, invest in Black-owned banks, establish retail centers at HBCUs, and for the company to fully restore its DEI initiatives. 'The black eye for us is that they [National Baptist Convention] walked away with nothing that we asked for,' Bryant told reporters. Levy Armstong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, had similar concerns. She issued a letter to the National Baptist Convention asking them to return the donation and to 'reconsider its alignment with a corporation that has caused such profound harm.' 'This $300,000 payment does not heal – it deepens the wound. It appears to be a payout for silence and an attempt to regain Black consumer trust without accountability,' the letter reads. National Baptist Convention President Boise Kimber has defended the partnership, telling USA Today its partnership with Target is based on a 'shared commitment to community empowerment through small-business and entrepreneur development, investments in education and student support, and workforce and skill development that unlocks growth across our communities.' Kimber added that the money from the donation will 'provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future.' 'We're proud to be sponsoring NBCUSA's conference series as one of the many ways we invest to make a meaningful impact in communities across the country by supporting access to education, economic development initiatives and entrepreneurship programs,' a Target spokesperson said in a statement sent to USA Today. I'll be the first to tell you I'm incredibly cynical when it comes to the motivations of any corporate entity. The widespread backtracking of DEI initiatives at corporations nationwide this year has only furthered my belief that corporate morality boils down to whatever is most profitable and politically expedient at the time. This donation feels like a blatant attempt by Target to say 'See? We don't hate Black people. Now please, spend money with us again.' Lord knows the company needs our dollars as the Target boycotts have proven remarkably effective so far. The company has consistently reported lower foot traffic, and posted a first-quarter sales decline, and its woes have been so pronounced that other companies are now warning their investors of the risks posed by consumer boycotts. If Target was serious about mending fences with the Black community it would address the root concerns that triggered the boycotts in the first place. Instead, it's trying to throw money at the problem in the hopes it will buy our silence. Considering the energy Black folks have been on, I don't see that plan working. SEE ALSO: Target Messed Around And Found Out, Reports 1st Quarter Sales Slump They Scared: Target, Walmart Warn Investors About Consumer Boycotts SEE ALSO Target Donates $300K To Black Church Group, Activists Want It Returned was originally published on
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Target donated $300,000 to a Black church group. Why boycott activists want it returned.
Target has donated $300,000 to the National Baptist Convention and two separate leaders of boycotts against the retailer are calling for the church organization to return the gift. In separate comments, Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minnesota activist who launched a Target boycott on Feb. 1 and Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, who encouraged members of the Black faith community to boycott for 40 days and now permanently stay away from the retailer, have said the acceptance by the Black church organization works against their efforts. Both boycotts are in response to what Levy Armstrong and Bryant say were efforts by Target to turn its back on the Black community when it rolled back its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. What was the $300,000 donation from Target? A Target spokesman provided USA TODAY with a statement when asked about the donation: 'We're proud to be sponsoring NBCUSA's conference series as one of the many ways we invest to make a meaningful impact in communities across the country by supporting access to education, economic development initiatives and entrepreneurship programs." The National Black Convention did not return an email and phone inquiry from USA TODAY seeking comment on the donation and the calls for its return. However, in a press release provided to other media outlets, National Black Convention President Boise Kimber said the partnership is based on a 'shared commitment to community empowerment through small-business and entrepreneur development, investments in education and student support, and workforce and skill development that unlocks growth across our communities.' Kimber said the donation will help the church organization 'provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future.' Black faith leader rejects donation, calls for its return During a Sunday sermon at his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, on June 22, Bryant decried Target's donation to the National Baptist Convention. He accused Target, whose CEO had met with Bryant and the Rev. Al Sharpton in April, of "going around" him to the National Baptist Convention. "Are you crazy to think we're going to sell out for chump change?" Bryant said. In an interview with USA TODAY, Bryant said Target's donation to the National Baptist Convention, which Bryant said is not affiliated with his church, was actually four donations of $75,000 to Black church organizations that the National Baptist Convention received and split. "It's really a slap in the face and an insult," Bryant said of the donation and the National Baptist Convention accepting the money. Bryant has called for the money to be returned to Target. Consumer boycotts continue: 31% are participating. See where and why As part of his Target boycott, Bryant has made four demands, including honoring a $2 billion pledge to the Black business community that Target previously had in place, which entailed purchasing Black-owned products, services and investing in Black media. Bryant has also called for the retailer to invest in Black-owned banks, establish retail centers at historically Black college and universities and fully restore DEI initiatives. "The black eye for us is that they (National Baptist Convention) walked away with nothing that we asked for," Bryant said. Target previously released a statement on May 28 in response to Bryant's Target blackout and demands. "Target is absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners,'' it read. "In the last five years, we have: committed to invest $2 billion in Black-owned businesses and brands within five years; supported students at over 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); invested $100 million to Black-led community organizations; given scholarships to over 30,000 members of our team to advance their careers; committed 5% of our profits to the communities we operate in; volunteered millions of hours to organizations across the country and created meaningful opportunities for our team members to thrive both personally and professionally." Community organizer takes issue with donation and Bryant In a separate open letter sent to the National Baptist Convention and shared with USA TODAY, Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, urged the church group "to reconsider its alignment with a corporation that has caused such profound harm. "This $300,000 payment does not heal – it deepens the wound. It appears to be a payout for silence and an attempt to regain Black consumer trust without accountability," the letter stated. The letter was also signed by fellow organizers Monique Cullars-Doty, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-Minnesota (Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota). The letter also took issue with Bryant, saying he was aware of the Target boycott, which started on Feb. 1, and expressed interest in joining the effort. But then Bryant repackaged the work as his own, creating a separate campaign and erasing the women's work. The women said it was reflective of a long, painful history of Black women organizers being pushed aside. Bryant told USA TODAY that he has honored Levy Armstrong and said from the start that he did not start the Target boycott." "My focus was singularly to align with the Black churches as Black churches were not involved or engaged," he said. "I'd say everywhere from the rooftops that we were not the originators of it, but it was our intention to bring out the Black church alongside." Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pastor slams his own church for accepting Target donation amid boycott
A Georgia pastor has called out his own church for accepting a $300,000 donation from Target following the retailer's decision to phase out Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church just outside of Atlanta, is one of the driving forces behind a boycott of Target after the company scaled back its DEI commitments. In a sermon, Bryant accused the National Baptist Convention of 'selling out' after the denomination accepted the donation from Target and accused the company of bypassing him in an effort to win back the support of Black consumers. Target previously said the boycotts had done some damage to sales during a quarter call with analysts in May. 'You thought you were going to go around me and go to the National Baptist Convention and sell out for $300,000?' he said at his sermon Sunday. 'Are you crazy to think that we gonna' sell out for chump change? You must not know who we are!' Bryant added in his sermon that he called the President of the National Baptist Convention, Rev. Boise Kimber, and demanded the organization stand with him and the boycott. In a statement, Kimber said the church is 'working on a three-year plan' with Target that will 'be very beneficial to the Black community.' 'With the federal government making deep cuts in education, health care, and other essential services, we know the Black Church will be called upon to stand in the gap,' Kimber said. 'Our outreach programs serving both our congregants and the broader community must be fully resourced to respond to the need. I am proud to say we will answer the call.' 'Target's generous donation will help us provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future,' he added. In response to Bryant and other criticism, Target said it was 'proud' to be partnering with the church 'to make a meaningful impact in communities across the country by supporting access to education, economic development initiatives and entrepreneurship programs.' The boycott was initially slated to last 40 days, but will continue until Target agrees to four demands put forward by the pastor. The demands call for Target to fully commit to DEI at every level of the company, honor its previous pledge to invest $2 billion in the Black business community, deposit $250 million in 23 Black-owned banks, and partner with business programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to support young entrepreneurs. 'Target is working hard to divide our community rather than stand on the principles of dignity and decency,' Bryant said in a follow up post on Instagram. 'We are working hard with the heads of the denominations to find resolve that shows solidarity. Stay out of target because we are standing on business. Together there's nothing we can't accomplish and we will fight on until victory is won!'
The Independent
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Pastor slams his own church for accepting Target donation amid boycott
A Georgia pastor has called out his own church for accepting a $300,000 donation from Target following the retailer's decision to phase out Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church just outside of Atlanta, is one of the driving forces behind a boycott of Target after the company scaled back its DEI commitments. In a sermon, Bryant accused the National Baptist Convention of 'selling out' after the denomination accepted the donation from Target and accused the company of bypassing him in an effort to win back the support of Black consumers. Target previously said the boycotts had done some damage to sales during a quarter call with analysts in May. 'You thought you were going to go around me and go to the National Baptist Convention and sell out for $300,000?' he said at his sermon Sunday. 'Are you crazy to think that we gonna' sell out for chump change? You must not know who we are!' Bryant added in his sermon that he called the President of the National Baptist Convention, Rev. Boise Kimber, and demanded the organization stand with him and the boycott. In a statement, Kimber said the church is 'working on a three-year plan' with Target that will 'be very beneficial to the Black community.' 'With the federal government making deep cuts in education, health care, and other essential services, we know the Black Church will be called upon to stand in the gap,' Kimber said. 'Our outreach programs serving both our congregants and the broader community must be fully resourced to respond to the need. I am proud to say we will answer the call.' 'Target's generous donation will help us provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future,' he added. In response to Bryant and other criticism, Target said it was 'proud' to be partnering with the church 'to make a meaningful impact in communities across the country by supporting access to education, economic development initiatives and entrepreneurship programs.' The boycott was initially slated to last 40 days, but will continue until Target agrees to four demands put forward by the pastor. The demands call for Target to fully commit to DEI at every level of the company, honor its previous pledge to invest $2 billion in the Black business community, deposit $250 million in 23 Black-owned banks, and partner with business programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to support young entrepreneurs. 'Target is working hard to divide our community rather than stand on the principles of dignity and decency,' Bryant said in a follow up post on Instagram. 'We are working hard with the heads of the denominations to find resolve that shows solidarity. Stay out of target because we are standing on business. Together there's nothing we can't accomplish and we will fight on until victory is won!'
