AT A GLANCE
• Pastor Jamal Bryant apologized after confusion over ending his yearlong Target fast sparked backlash from boycott organizers.
• Bryant clarified that Black women activists including Nina Turner, Tamika Mallory, and Nekima Levy Armstrong started and led the movement.
• Boycott organizers insist the national Target boycott continues despite Bryant ending his personal fast.
• Activists say the protest aims to pressure corporations over diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.
Jamal Bryant Apologizes After Confusion Over Target Fast
Atlanta pastor Jamal Bryant is clarifying his role in the ongoing boycott of Target after backlash erupted earlier this week when he announced the end of his yearlong fast from the retailer.
Bryant’s announcement led many supporters and organizers to believe the broader boycott against Target had ended as well. The protest began last February after critics accused the company of scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
In response to the confusion, Bryant issued an apology during the latest episode of his podcast Let’s Be Clear, acknowledging that he misread how strongly the community felt about continuing the boycott.
“Today was supposed to be a hallmark celebration,” Bryant said during the show’s 100th episode. “But given the most recent events that have taken place this week, we’re having to make a hard pivot.”
Bryant Says Black Women Led the Target Boycott
Bryant stressed that the boycott was never his movement to lead. Instead, he credited Black women activists including Nina Turner, Tamika Mallory, and Dr. Nekima Levy Armstrong for organizing and guiding the campaign.
“I wanted you to know that I’ve heard your emphatic outcry,” Bryant said. “I made assumptions that were not true. And I wanted to apologize to you for being a leader that was out of touch with what it is that the community wanted.”
He added that he would never attempt to take credit for a movement built and sustained by Black women.
“I am surrounded by brilliant, beautiful Black women,” Bryant said. “In no ounce of my bones or blood would I ever try to co-opt what Black women are building.”
Boycott Organizers Say Target Protest Is Still Active
Despite Bryant ending his personal fast, organizers behind the boycott say the national protest remains in place.
In a statement released through CAIR Minnesota, Nekima Levy Armstrong said the movement continues until Target restores its diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.
“Let’s be clear: the Target boycott is not over,” Armstrong said. “This is a grassroots movement led by communities demanding corporate accountability.”
According to Bryant and other organizers, some demands tied to the boycott have already been met. Those include Target honoring a $2 billion pledge to support Black businesses and expanding retail business programs at historically Black colleges and universities.
However, activists say one key demand remains unresolved: a proposed $250 million deposit into Black owned banks.
Bryant Denies Claims of Deal With Target
Speculation quickly spread online that Bryant ended the fast after striking a deal with Target. The pastor strongly rejected those claims during his podcast.
“I am not an employee of Target,” Bryant said. “I have not been compensated by Target. None of my colleagues or comrades have received a dime from Target.”
Bryant said all travel and expenses connected to discussions with the company were paid personally, emphasizing that neither his church nor affiliated organizations received financial support from the retailer.
“We can stand before you with clean hands and a pure heart,” he said, referencing civil rights leader Hosea Williams’ phrase that activists must remain “unbought and unbossed.”
Activists Say the Movement Will Expand Beyond Target
While Target remains a focal point, boycott leaders say the campaign could broaden to include other companies.
During an interview with Roland Martin, Tamika Mallory said the movement is now examining other corporations that activists believe are avoiding similar accountability.
“What are we going to do next?” Mallory said. “Which companies are next? Who else do we want to hold accountable?”
Mallory noted that activists believe the boycott helped cause billions of dollars in lost market value for Target, demonstrating the power of coordinated consumer pressure.
More broadly, she said the campaign sends a message that communities will not support companies they believe disregard their concerns.
“You may arrest us. You may try to silence our voices,” Mallory said. “But the one thing you cannot do is force us to spend our money with companies where we feel disrespected.”
