The Atlanta pastor says key goals were achieved in the yearlong campaign against Target, while Nina Turner and Tamika Mallory say the company still owes the Black community an apology.
A boycott that reshaped the relationship between one of America’s largest retailers and many Black consumers has entered a new chapter. Rev. Jamal Bryant announced this week that the campaign widely known as the Target fast has come to an end after more than a year of pressure on the company.
The Atlanta pastor revealed the decision during a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington. Bryant described the moment as a victory for organizers who spent months urging shoppers to avoid the Minneapolis based retail chain.
The movement began in early 2025 after Target reduced several Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs. The decision came during a broader corporate pullback from such initiatives following political pressure tied to anti DEI policies introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Bryant and other activists framed the boycott as a way to hold corporations accountable to commitments they had previously made to Black communities.
Bryant says progress justifies ending the Target fast
Bryant said the campaign achieved meaningful progress. According to the pastor, Target has addressed three of the movement’s four primary goals.
The first involved honoring a commitment the company made in 2020 to invest 2 billion dollars into Black communities and businesses. Organizers said that pledge played a central role in building trust between the company and many of its Black customers.
Another demand focused on partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities. Bryant indicated that the retailer has continued developing relationships with those institutions, which supporters believe will expand opportunities for students and entrepreneurs.
The third objective involved reshaping the company’s approach to diversity programs. Activists wanted assurances that the principles behind those initiatives would continue even after public criticism of DEI policies intensified across corporate America.
Bryant acknowledged that a fourth goal remains unresolved. Organizers are still seeking commitments that would direct new investments toward Black owned banks.
Despite the unfinished objective, Bryant said the progress made so far signaled that the fast had achieved its immediate purpose.
Target signals willingness to move forward
Target responded to the announcement with a message focused on rebuilding relationships with customers and communities.
The company said it looks forward to continuing its role as a trusted presence in thousands of neighborhoods across the United States. Executives emphasized the importance of serving employees, shoppers and local communities as the company moves ahead.
The retailer operates in more than 2,000 communities nationwide. Many of those locations are in cities with large Black populations where the boycott drew attention from local leaders and consumers.
The dispute also arrived during a complicated moment for American corporations. Many businesses have struggled to balance public commitments to diversity with political pressure from critics of those programs.
Activists remain divided on the Target decision
While Bryant described the development as a milestone, other activists who helped ignite the campaign remain unconvinced that the retailer has done enough.
Civil rights advocate Tamika Mallory and former Ohio state legislator Nina Turner appeared alongside Bryant during the Washington press conference. Both leaders said they still expect a public apology from Target’s leadership.
Their criticism centers on the belief that the company’s earlier actions caused real harm within the Black community. They argue that recognition of that harm must come before any full reconciliation.
Turner later reinforced that stance on social media. She indicated that she does not intend to resume shopping at Target and encouraged others to maintain their boycott.
The future of the Target movement
The disagreement reveals a familiar tension inside modern protest movements. Some leaders view incremental change as a step toward larger victories. Others believe corporations must offer stronger public accountability before activists declare success.
For Bryant, ending the fast represents a moment to acknowledge progress while continuing negotiations around the final demand involving Black banks.
For Mallory and Turner, the campaign remains unfinished until the company addresses what they see as a deeper breach of trust.
What began as a consumer boycott has evolved into a broader conversation about corporate responsibility and community expectations. The Target fast may have formally ended. The debate over how companies engage with Black communities is likely to continue.