In a powerful statement on social media, Tina Knowles, the mother of global superstar Beyoncé, has announced a boycott of Target following the retailer’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The prominent advocate for social justice has made a bold statement against retail giant Target.
Last Friday, Target revealed its plans to retreat from DEI programs central to its corporate strategy in recent years, joining major companies like Walmart, Meta, and McDonald’s.
In a memo distributed to its workforce, Target announced that it will discontinue its three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) objectives, cease reporting to outside organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and terminate a program aimed at increasing the availability of products from Black- or minority-owned enterprises.
The Minneapolis-based retailer announced modifications to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” initiative, which will involve discontinuing a program created to assist Black employees in establishing fulfilling careers, enhancing the experiences of Black customers, and supporting Black-owned enterprises after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Target, which runs close to 2,000 locations across the country and has a workforce of over 400,000 individuals, stated that it had intended to terminate the racial program this year to avoid facing intense scrutiny from the Trump administration and its conservative supporters.
The corporation also notified on Friday that it would also wrap up the diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, objectives it had established in three-year intervals. The objectives involved increasing the hiring and promotion of women and individuals from racial minority backgrounds and seeking out a more diverse range of suppliers, including enterprises owned by people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and those with disabilities.
Taking to her Instagram account, Knowles expressed her dismay over the company’s recent decision to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
In a pointed post, Tina Knowles didn’t mince words. “So y’all bowed down and kissed the ring huh. Crossing you off my list! No More Target!” she wrote, clarifying that she would no longer support the superstore.
Before modifying the caption, the original quote revealed her decision to boycott the superstore in favor of its larger competitor.
“Costco, here I come,” she told her 4.1 million followers on the platform. “[They’re] cheaper anyway! Get your Costco membership today!”
As of now, Target is among several retailers offering pre-orders for Knowles’ eagerly awaited memoir, “Matriarch,” which is scheduled for release on April 15.