By Shernay Williams
Word in Black
“History has already shown us that pulling our dollars hits harder than any speech, any march, any protest ever could,” says content creator Ashley B, in an Instagram video.
She’s part of a growing coalition of community organizers, pastors and political engagement groups calling for a mass boycott ahead of the holiday retail season to flex Black political muscle and put economic pressure on corporations.
The exact dates vary by group, but they all want a consumer blackout on the two biggest shopping days of the year: Black Friday, Nov. 28, and Cyber Monday, Dec. 1.
Considered the unofficial start of holiday shopping, both days generated roughly $30.8 billion in revenue last year, according to Adobe.
Black Voters Matter, a nonprofit voting rights organization, is encouraging shoppers to avoid Target, Home Depot and Amazon. LaTosha Brown, the group’s cofounder, says the “We Ain’t Buying It” campaign targets these companies for “aligning themselves with policies and people that are seeking to harm us.”
Other organizations, like The People’s Union USA, want to expand the boycott to include all national chains, such as Macy’s and major online retailers, including Shein and Temu. They want people to spend their dollars at small and local businesses instead.
“We gotta push back against this culture of fear that wants us to be paralyzed and feel a sense of hopelessness,” Brown says. “And make us forget that we have collective power.”
Watch the video here for more on this story.
This article was originally published by Word in Black.