TARGET’S DEI Cuts Have Black Entrepreneurs Saying ‘Clear the shelves’
In the latest move aimed at promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within their stores, retail giant Target Corporation announced plans to scale back on partnerships with predominantly Black-owned small businesses. These entrepreneurs, many of whom were just starting to build momentum through Target’s shelves, are expressing dismay and disillusionment with the move.
Specifically, the move involves shifting resources away from Target’s Open House program, which provided wholesale and retail access to small, predominantly Black-owned businesses. For these entrepreneurs, who had placed great hope in Target’s program as a path to increased exposure and revenue, the news represents a significant blow.
“I don’t know where I’m supposed to go next,” said Monique Nelson, a Black business owner who saw significant growth after partnering with Target through Open House. “It’s like starting over from scratch again.”
Black-owned businesses face a unique set of challenges when trying to partner with larger companies, including accessing resources, understanding business practices, and navigating potential biases. In response to the decision, entrepreneurs like Nelson and many others are speaking out and advocating for systemic change.
“When Black-owned businesses struggle, everyone loses,” wrote social media activist @TheNancyLeeGroup on Twitter. “It’s time for large corporations to commit to meaningful partnership, not token gestures.”
Meanwhile, Target faces a growing public relations crisis and concerns about their commitment to promoting DEI principles. As controversy mounts, company leaders are grappling with the aftermath of their decision, which they had touted as an effort to boost diversity.
Target’s action comes at a time when America is grappling with racial tensions, social unrest, and economic uncertainty. For these entrepreneurs, a renewed focus on corporate social responsibility is crucial – not just in theory, but in practice. As the once-booming Main Street turns deserted, it seems Target’s action may be, indeed, as hollow as its DEI statement: “clear the shelves,” Black entrepreneurs now seem to say, in stark frustration.
