This Friday, February 28, American corporations could witness a major financial flashpoint—a grassroots protest dubbed the “Economic Blackout.” It’s a direct response to the calculated, systematic dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs by some of the country’s biggest corporations, including McDonald’s, Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
At the center of this fight is a stark question: Do corporations stand for the communities they profit from, or will they bend to political pressure and erase decades of hard-fought progress?
The Great DEI Erasure
DEI has been under siege, with President Donald Trump’s administration leading the charge against it. The White House has eliminated federal DEI programs, revoked funding for diversity initiatives, and threatened legal action against corporations that prioritize inclusion. The goal? To choke out any efforts that focus on racial and gender equity in the workplace.
Corporations, fearing legal backlash and political scrutiny, are rolling over. Target has axed its DEI goals, no longer tracking representation in leadership and backing away from supporting Black-owned brands. McDonald’s quietly scrapped diversity hiring benchmarks and supplier inclusion efforts, despite years of success with programs meant to level the playing field. Walmart has walked back its commitment to DEI training and workforce representation. Amazon is stepping away from some of its internal diversity hiring strategies, conveniently following the political tides. Disney has also decided to pull back as well.
But, these rollbacks aren’t just corporate decisions—they’re a gut punch to millions of employees and consumers who believed these companies were committed to progress.
The “Economic Blackout”: A Stand Against Corporate Betrayal
Enter the Economic Blackout—a one-day nationwide consumer strike calling for Americans to refuse to spend a single dime at major retailers. The protest, launched by grassroots organizations like The People’s Union USA, is a direct hit at corporations that are backtracking on inclusion.
The message is simple: If companies won’t respect diversity, they shouldn’t profit from it.
“Because I believe we deserve better. Because I believe it is possible to break free from a system built to exploit us,” said John Schwarz, founder of The People’s Union, a grassroots movement. In a video posted on his Instagram account under the handle “TheOneCalledJai,” he stated: “For one day, we turn it off… We remind them that this country does not belong to the elite; it belongs to the people.”
The movement has gained traction online, with viral social media posts urging:
🛑 No Amazon orders
🛑 No Walmart runs
🛑 No Target splurges
🛑 No fast food
🛑 No gas station stops
Instead, consumers are encouraged to shop at small businesses and minority-owned stores—a direct effort to redirect money into the communities DEI was meant to uplift.
Why This Matters: The Cost of Killing DEI
The attack on DEI isn’t just about “political correctness.” It’s about the dismantling of programs that have historically opened doors for marginalized communities in corporate America. Without DEI, hiring practices shift back toward the status quo, where leadership pipelines once again favor white, male-dominated structures.
Supplier diversity programs that helped Black and minority-owned businesses compete in the corporate landscape are quietly disappearing, cutting off critical economic opportunities. Training programs that fostered inclusive workspaces and helped employees navigate racial and gender biases are being gutted, leaving workplaces less equitable and more prone to discrimination.
This isn’t some abstract corporate strategy shift. It’s a deliberate erasure of progress that has helped countless individuals break barriers in industries that have historically shut them out. The rollback of these programs means a future where fewer women and people of color have a seat at the table, fewer protections exist against workplace discrimination, and the illusion of meritocracy continues to mask systemic exclusion.
The Resistance is Growing
While corporations backpedal, resistance is growing. Dr. Jamal Bryant, leader of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, has launched a 40-day boycott of Target during Lent, calling the company’s DEI retreat a direct betrayal of the very consumers who helped make it a retail giant. His message has resonated, amplifying a broader call for sustained economic resistance.
Some companies, however, are refusing to fold. Apple, despite facing internal shareholder pressure to abandon DEI, has chosen to stand firm, demonstrating that not all corporations are willing to cave to the political climate. The tech giant’s leadership has maintained that DEI efforts are crucial to its success, highlighting that rolling back diversity programs isn’t an inevitable corporate trend—it’s a choice.
Nike has also reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and storytelling, making it clear that Black voices and experiences will continue to be amplified. Their Super Bowl spot featuring Caitlin Clark and Serena Williams was a bold declaration, not just of athletic excellence but of the power of Black narratives in sports and culture. Unlike companies retreating from inclusion, Nike is doubling down, proving that standing with diverse communities isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.
The pushback isn’t just coming from activists and consumers. Even members of the Target founding family, Anne and Lucy Dayton, have publicly condemned the company’s backslide, emphasizing that their father built the business on principles of inclusion and community well-being. Their opposition underscores the growing internal tensions within these companies as executives make decisions that alienate both employees and long-time supporters.
The Road Ahead
According to supporters, the Economic Blackout is just the beginning. The real test will be whether corporate America learns that performative diversity isn’t enough. Consumers are watching, and the message is clear: You cannot profit off diverse communities while erasing the policies that support them.
So this Friday, the question isn’t just “Where are you shopping?”—it’s “What kind of America are you buying into?”
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
REELated:
Technicolor, The Mill closure escalates to global shutdown
