Activists Renew Holiday Boycott Call Outside Target Headquarters
Community organizers held a Nov. 20 press event outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters to urge shoppers to avoid the retailer during the holiday season, tying their action to Target’s recent sales slump and public shifts in diversity and inclusion policy. The protest highlights reputational pressure that could affect store traffic, seasonal staffing and company investments that matter to frontline workers.
Community activists gathered outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters on Nov. 20 to escalate calls for a consumer boycott during the critical holiday shopping season. Organizers framed the action as a response to policy changes earlier in 2025 related to diversity and inclusion, and they signaled they would continue urging shoppers to avoid Target until those decisions are reversed.
The rally came immediately after Target released third quarter results showing store sales down 2.7 percent, and the company warned investors that sales would be lower for the balance of the year. Organizers at the event, including Nekima Levy Armstrong and Jaylani Hussein, said they view the sales weakness as evidence the boycott is making an impact. The timing put the protest squarely in the narrative around Target’s holiday performance, a high stakes period for retailers and for the hourly workers who staff stores.
Target responded to media inquiries by reiterating commitments it has publicly announced. The company said it will complete a $2 billion investment commitment to Black owned businesses, it has invested $100 million in Black led community organizations, and it is investing in stores and pricing essentials. Those statements underscore the company’s dual priorities of addressing community concerns while trying to stabilize traffic and sales in stores.
For employees, the dispute and the company’s slipping sales present immediate implications. Seasonal hiring, shift schedules and hours can hinge on holiday foot traffic, and sustained sales pressure can affect store staffing decisions and morale. Management choices to boost pricing on essentials or redirect capital to community investments will also influence what resources are available to frontline teams and how stores are managed through the busiest retail weeks of the year.
The protest illustrates how community activism and corporate earnings dynamics can intersect to create operational consequences for workers. With organizers planning continued pressure and Target signaling continued investments, the coming weeks of the holiday season will test whether public pressure translates into measurable changes in sales, corporate policy, or store level conditions for employees.
