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Original Target Boycott Organizers Speak Out: ‘This Is Our Movement’

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — According to Levy Armstrong, Target made a $2 billion pledge in 2021 to support Black-owned businesses, improve the Black shopper experience, and invest in Black employees.

Published

1 year ago

April 23, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

Three of the original organizers behind the national Target boycott say they won’t be sidelined, erased, or co-opted—especially not by corporate maneuvers or high-profile figures with no ties to their movement. On the Black Press of America’s Let It Be Known News show, Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network; Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-Minnesota; and Monique Cullars-Doty, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, spoke candidly about how their effort to hold Target accountable has been misrepresented, overshadowed, and—most recently—dismissed by the very company they’re boycotting. “This movement started here, in the Twin Cities,” said Levy Armstrong. “We launched the boycott on February 1, the first day of Black History Month, after Target rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. That announcement came just days after Donald Trump returned to power and launched his renewed attack on DEI.”

According to Levy Armstrong, Target made a $2 billion pledge in 2021 to support Black-owned businesses, improve the Black shopper experience, and invest in Black employees. “They said it with their chest, and now they want to quietly walk it back? Not on our watch,” she said. “And then instead of speaking to us—the people who live and organize three miles from where George Floyd was murdered—they reached out to someone who admitted he wasn’t even participating in the boycott — Rev. Al Sharpton.” Sharpton has confirmed that he was not part of the boycott, yet Target reportedly initiated discussions with him, omitting the local leaders who originally launched and sustained the movement. “They made a Hail Mary pass,” said Cullars-Doty. “They were hoping Sharpton would catch it and run it into the end zone for them. But we’re the ones who’ve been doing the work, and they know it. That’s why this boycott was always meant to be indefinite—not 40 days, not a fast, but until Target makes good on its promises and accounts for its role in fueling systemic harm.”

Hussein said the company’s move to engage Sharpton and ignore the grassroots leaders is a classic case of corporate divide and conquer. “They are trying to fracture our unity, plain and simple. But this boycott is working,” Hussein stated. “Foot traffic is down. Stock is down. And our community has proven that we don’t need to invest in companies that invest in our oppression.” Cullars-Doty and Levy Armstrong also pointed to Target’s historical funding of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office under Amy Klobuchar and Mike Freeman—an office that oversaw a 600% rise in Black male incarceration, they said, and worked together with law enforcement, often using surveillance technology supported by Target. “They didn’t just walk away from DEI,” Cullars-Doty said. “They’ve been fueling injustice from behind the scenes for years. Our community suffered the brunt of that. We lived through the uprising. We buried our people. We fought in the streets. And now they want to pretend this is just about shelf space? No, it’s about justice.”

Levy Armstrong was firm, responding to Roland Martin of the Black Star Network’s warning that he would call out anyone “cutting side deals” with Target rather than working through a unified coalition. “I know he’s not talking about us,” she said. “We haven’t cut any side deals, and we never will. We haven’t heard a word from Target. And if they did reach out, they know we’re not budging on our demands. Our community here in Minnesota—and our national allies—know who we are and what we stand for.” She declined a recent invitation to join a new “organizing committee” alongside Nina Turner, Tamika Mallory, and Pastor Jamal Bryant. “I’ve already been down that road,” Levy Armstrong said. “My trust was violated once. I’m not signing on to anything that sidelines the people who laid the foundation for this movement.” The trio said they’ve been working side-by-side with the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder newspaper, and attributed some of their early success to the newspaper’s publisher, Tracey Williams-Dillard, and the late journalist and activist Mel Reeves.

Hussein said the controversy surrounding the boycott has only reinforced the importance of staying the course. “Target is scared to engage us directly,” Hussein asserted. “They know we’ll hold them accountable to their own words. They want to rewrite history and paint this as a short-term PR issue. But we’re here for the long haul.” Cullars-Doty added that the boycott has revealed deeper, systemic truths that many in the public didn’t previously know. “This is bigger than DEI. It’s about criminal justice, mass incarceration, racial surveillance, and police partnerships. The boycott pulled back the curtain—and now Target’s trying to close it again,” she said. And the organizers made it clear: this fight is far from over. “We’ve been consistent. We’re grounded. And we’re not going anywhere,” said Levy Armstrong. “We’re doing this for our people. And we’re not letting anyone take that from us.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY