Rev. Al Sharpton and 100 members of the National Action Network (NAN) recently participated in a “buycott” — shopping at a Costco in East Harlem in support of the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies despite pressure from Trump and other right-wing officials.
“We will support those who stand with us and hold accountable those who don’t. Justice is not just about marching, it’s about where we spend our dollars,” Sharpton said about the protest in an Instagram post.
A buycott or buy-in is a form of protest, and the act of intentionally purchasing products in support of the company and its policies. The protest came in response to the aggressive attacks against anything DEI made by the Trump administration, which has been its major focus since assuming office last week. The president signed multiple executive orders aimed at rolling back DEI in the federal government, including putting all federal workers, many of whom are Black or Brown, on paid leave. Trump’s push has led to major companies in the private sector following suit with their DEI policies.
Less than five years after announcing policies to support these initiatives in combating systemic racism, in the wake of national protests from George Floyd’s murder, major companies — including Target, Walmart, Meta (parent company for Facebook and Instagram), McDonalds, Lowe’s, Amazon, and more — have quickly jumped on the wave to abandon those pledges.
“For Donald Trump to be able to cancel a commitment they made is an outright affront to the Black community … that they committed to,” Sharpton said at a press conference outside the East Harlem Costco on Saturday. “That is why we will stand with those that stand with us.”
At a shareholders’ meeting last week, the Costco board of directors unanimously urged shareholders to vote against a proposal of the right-wing group the National Center for Public Policy Research, which proposed the company evaluate risks from their DEI practices. They claimed DEI was “weaponized language concealing a radical Marxist agenda.” However, 98% of shareholders rejected the proposal.
The NAN members, led by Sharpton, shopped at the Costco at 517 E. 117th Street in a show of economic protest and support for the company for not bowing down and following suit with the other major companies. Members bought food items and took photos with Costco workers.
In a press statement, NAN said Sharpton will announce a complete protest campaign against two specific companies for abandoning DEI and racial equity practice.
“Companies that think they can renege on their promises to do better, bring in new voices, or abandon us will see the impact of Black buying power. That’s why, in the next 90 days, we will begin to send a message that we will not go back, and we will bring this issue to the top line by going after their bottom line,” Sharpton said.
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been much discussion about effective economic protest and using the successful strategies and organization that worked for the Black community during the civil rights period.
Despite their sizable Black consumer base, Target is one of the latest major retailers to drop their DEI practices, ending their Racial Equity Action and Change program. On his show “Roland Martin Unfiltered,” journalist Roland Martin outlined how Black shoppers generate roughly $29.9 million per day in revenue for Target and that a 30-day boycott from Black customers would cost the company $897 million.
Nineteen Republican attorneys general have sent a letter insisting that Costco follow through with other major companies in eliminating DEI, citing it as “illegal” and “discriminatory” despite the intended purpose of these programs being about racial equity in business for marginalized groups.
NAN members have also been engaged in protesting billionaire hedge funder and right-wing leader Bill Ackman’s anti-DEI campaign outside his Manhattan offices for more than 50 straight weeks.
Companies that have not given in to right-wing pressure are Apple, JPMorgan Chase, Delta, Cisco, and Microsoft.