As major corporations including Target scale back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs, some Bloomington consumers are responding by boycotting these companies to express their dissatisfaction with the changes.
Cashmere Booker, a senior at IU, is among those participating in the boycott after Target announced it would reduce its DEI initiatives.
“I started boycotting when Target announced they were getting rid of DEI,” Booker said. “I’m also posting about it on social media, reminding my friends and others not to shop there.”
According to an October 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 52% of U.S. workers view increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace positively, down 4% from February 2023.
Before Target’s DEI rollback, the company initiatives included a variety of efforts aimed at increasing representation and fostering an inclusive environment within the company and its supply chain. These initiatives involved a focus on more equitable hiring practices, expanding opportunities for people of color and women and working with diverse suppliers.
Target also implemented the REACH program, which aimed to help increase representation of marginalized communities within the company’s workforce and leadership. The company’s three-year DEI goals set specific targets for hiring and promoting people from underrepresented backgrounds.
Target is scaling back DEI through a planned transition, with a continued commitment to “belonging,” according to a internal memo from Chief Community Impact and Equity Officer Kiera Fernandez. This includes ending certain structured DEI initiatives, including its three-year DEI goals and REACH program.
Other companies, including PepsiCo, Google and Amazon have also faced backlash for scaling back on their DEI efforts in recent months.
While Target’s decision garnered significant attention, it’s not the only company with a location in Bloomington making similar moves. Other national retailers, like Walmart and Starbucks, have changed aspects of their DEI policies.
Walmart has significantly revised its DEI initiatives and will no longer prioritize race and gender in supplier contracts. The company has also withdrawn from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index or CEI, a national benchmarking tool that rates American businesses on their treatment of LGBTQ+ employees, consumers, and investors. Additionally, Walmart plans to close its Center for Racial Equity, a five-year commitment established in 2020 to address disparities affecting Black and African American communities. Since its inception, the center has aimed to improve economic opportunities and advance racial equity by offering grant funding, supporting local organizations and providing resources for workforce development.
Starbucks has slightly altered webpages related to diversity initiatives. This change follows political pressure from lawmakers and advocacy groups who argue that DEI policies can prioritize identity over merit.
Paul Palmer, a senior lecturer in marketing at IU, said consumer spending has significant influence over corporate decisions. Palmer said he believes sustained boycotts can pressure companies to reevaluate their actions.
“Money talks. If you impact someone’s revenue in a meaningful manner for an extended period of time, you will get a seat at the table,” Palmer said. “Boycotts, sit-ins, those types of things have historically worked.”
The 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement, forced bus companies to end racial segregation after a year of economic pressure.
More recently, the #DeleteUber, a 2017 boycott campaign, led to significant drops in user engagement, due to the company operating during a taxi strike protesting Trump’s immigration ban. In response, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from the president's economic advisory council, pledging $3 million for legal aid to affected drivers.
Gretchen Clearwater, a retired IU advisor and advocate for DEI, has long been boycotting major corporations such as Walmart, Hobby Lobby and Amazon. Clearwater now has expanded her boycotts in response to corporate shifts in DEI policies.
“Now I’ve expanded it to include places that I dearly love to go,” Clearwater said. “So, I’ve been boycotting Amazon, Target, Lowe’s, Menards, Starbucks — basically all of the big ones.,”
For Spade Minshall, who is an advocate involved in ecological restoration in Monroe County, DEI is more than a corporate initiative: it’s a form of reparative justice.
“For 300 years, these people have been systematically oppressed and barred from different organizations, different companies,” Minshall said. “It’s very important we rectify that.”
Minshall boycotts major corporations like Walmart, Target, Nestlé and Amazon due to their rollback on DEI initiatives. They said these boycotts allow them to express their values and hold companies accountable.
“If we look at the Mongomery Bus Boycott, that took like 18 months to actually do anything,” Minshall said, “and it only did anything because they were terrified that they were going to be, you know, in the red,”
Experts, consumers discuss importance of DEI initiatives
The corporate rollbacks follow government action against DEI initiatives at the state and federal level. In Indiana, the state Senate passed Senate Bill 289, passed in February. The legislation prohibits mandatory DEI training in K-12 public schools and restricts DEI programs within state universities.
As of April 8, 2025, the Indiana Senate Bill 289 has passed both the Senate and the House Judiciary Committee. The committee amended the bill to focus on prohibiting discrimination based on personal characteristics, removing earlier provisions related to DEI programs and diversity committees. The amended bill is scheduled for a full House vote by April 15, 2025.
President Donald Trump has also signed a series of executive orders aimed at limited DEI initiatives in federal government, though some have been held up in court.
Palmer also emphasized the distinction between “equity" and “equality" in the context of DEI. He said while equality means giving everyone the same opportunities, equity ensures that all individuals have the necessary support needed to succeed.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion is giving everyone a pathway to get to the door,” he said. “It’s not about taking something away from people, it’s about ensuring everyone has a chance.”
While some politicians, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, argue that DEI policies have been overemphasized in recent years, others see them as vital to addressing systemic issues. Booker, a Black woman, expressed concern about the potential implications of reducing DEI efforts.
“If they really cared, they would’ve stood by DEI, no matter who was in office,” Booker said. “If you employ Black people, and want their money, you should take their rights seriously.”
Booker said many people consider DEI policies essential to address barriers faced by people of color.
“There are just things that people of color face that our white counterparts may not face,” Booker said. “DEI policies help level that playing field.”
Clearwater also voiced concerns about the broader implications of scaling back DEI efforts.
“I’m terrified of the direction our country is going in, so much work is being torn apart,” Clearwater said, “I don’t think people realize how deep the impact goes, and how much more it’s going to affect the community.”
Editor's note: Cashmere Booker is a former Indiana Daily Student employee
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correctly reflect Starbucks' changes to DEI.
