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Target Looks for Love in All the Wrong Places as Black Leaders Reject Corporate Spin

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Boycotts and other actions began against the chain after Target quietly pulled back from its $2.1 billion diversity, equity, and inclusion pledge—announced after the murder of George Floyd—to expand Black-owned brands, diversify leadership, and improve the shopping experience for Black customers. Instead, organizers and clergy say the company has attempted to buy goodwill through marketing campaigns and donations, while avoiding meaningful accountability.

Published

1 year ago

July 8, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Target continues to look for love in all the wrong places. As the retailer grapples with falling sales, declining foot traffic, and an escalating boycott, it has poured resources into celebrity deals and high-profile partnerships without directly addressing the harm Black communities say it caused.

Target has also conspicuously failed to engage Black-owned media outlets, bypassing the very platforms that have long served as trusted voices within the communities most affected by its decisions.

Boycotts and other actions began against the chain after Target quietly pulled back from its $2.1 billion diversity, equity, and inclusion pledge—announced after the murder of George Floyd—to expand Black-owned brands, diversify leadership, and improve the shopping experience for Black customers. Instead, organizers and clergy say the company has attempted to buy goodwill through marketing campaigns and donations, while avoiding meaningful accountability.

In Minneapolis, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong joined Monique Cullars-Doty and Jaylani Hussein to launch the boycott on February 1 with a press conference at Target’s global headquarters. In an open last month to the National Baptist Convention (NBC), the activists accused Target of abandoning Black communities under political pressure from the Trump administration, while simultaneously funding prosecutorial strategies that disproportionately targeted Black youth. The NBC agreed to a three-year and $300,000 deal with Target in June.

“This is about corporate complicity in mass incarceration and the systemic targeting of Black youth,” the letter stated. “Target’s complicity in mass incarceration is not just bad PR—it is a civil and human rights crisis. Black children were caged. Black families were torn apart. Black communities were devastated.”

This week, Levy Armstrong shared with Black Press USA that Target’s approach feels painfully familiar.

“Target has not only lost the trust of the Black community. They’ve also alienated a wide swath of progressive consumers—many of them women—who feel betrayed, disgusted, and done,” she stated. “We are still not shopping at Target. Until there is full transparency, accountability, and reparative action, this boycott remains ongoing and indefinite.”

Instead of addressing those demands, Target has turned to new celebrity collaborations. The company’s latest move was teaming up with streamer Kai Cenat and the AMP content collective to launch an exclusive personal care brand called TONE. The rollout, which included a livestream sleepover inside a Target store, drew swift backlash.

Journalist Jemele Hill compared the strategy to the NFL’s partnership with Jay-Z during the Colin Kaepernick controversy, describing it as an attempt to distract consumers rather than confront the underlying issues.

“Target is spineless. They don’t want to anger Donald Trump, so they won’t publicly apologize or rectify what they’ve done,” Hill wrote. “Instead, they’re going to keep throwing checks at certain members of the Black community, hoping we will lose our will to fight.”

Pastor Jamal Bryant, who leads the ongoing “Target Fast,” also criticized the company for focusing on influencer deals and festival sponsorships instead of direct engagement with the communities it promised to support.

“If @target would spend as much energy and resources meeting the demands of the target fast @targetfast40 as they are on influencers, paying preachers, and going to @essencefest, we would be further along,” Bryant posted. “Doing what’s right for our people is always made to feel like an inconvenience. Stand on business and don’t go back in until they handle us right!”

Even this year’s Essence Festival reflected the growing discontent. While Target hosted a major activation in the convention center, videos on social media showed much smaller crowds than in past years. Activists, including Bryant, Tamika D. Mallory, and Nina Turner, urged attendees to enjoy the festival but steer clear of Target installations.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing over 200 Black-owned newspapers and media companies, has attempted to engage with Target, but so far, nothing has materialized. Founded before the end of slavery in America, the Black Press will celebrate its bicentennial in 2027.

In Houston, Rev. Marcus D. Cosby of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church stated that history shows that economic pressure is often the most effective way to bring about change.

“Our history indicates that when we take our Black dollars away from the people who are oppressing us, we find progress and productivity,” Cosby told his congregation. “If you don’t want to take care of our people, we know how to take care of ourselves. Let the church say Amen.”

In Chicago, Rev. Jesse Jackson joined clergy outside a Target store to issue a warning that the movement will not fade away.

“We will remain steadfast. Target, we will not break,” Jackson said. “We will get used to not spending our dollars with you. We will fast as long as the day is and as dark as a night is, and we ask that you appeal to your better sense and talk to us because we’re not boycotting or protesting or fasting against people. We’re protesting and standing up for rights against your policies.”

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.

Oakland Post

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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