Rev. Al Sharpton And His Organization Will March Against DEI Rollbacks
The Rev. Al Sharpton is preparing to march against Donald Trump’s attacks on DEI efforts. His organization, the National Action Network, is hosting its annual march on Thursday, August 28th. This year, the march will start at the African Burial Ground National Monument at 10 a.m. and then head to Wall Street.
In an interview with NY1 political anchor Errol Louis on “Inside City Hall,” Sharpton said businesses need to be held accountable.
Typically, Sharpton and his organization march on Washington to remember Martin Luther King’s 1963 ‘I had a dream speech.’ But this year, the march will take place on Wall Street to protest against Trump’s anti-DEI push. “We’re seeing the elimination of things in various areas of economic opportunity. These are all being financed by people on Wall Street,” he says.
The March on Wall Street
Sharpton told Louis that they have at least 20 cities coming to the March.
He believes the march could sway President Trump’s views on DEI, highlighting that Trump was president when George Floyd was murdered. “I helped lead a lot of those marches, and I preached at every one of George Floyd’s funerals. I think people forget that Donald Trump was president when Floyd happened.”
“So the reason I know a movement can neutralize Trump is that we did it already in 2020. How are you afraid of somebody you already beat?”
Boycotts and protests against DEI rollbacks
Several Black leaders have taken a stand against the rollback of DEI efforts in the US.
In April, PepsiCo representatives met with civil rights leaders from the National Action Network (NAN) following Reverend Al Sharpton’s threat to lead a boycott over the company’s decision to roll back parts of its DEI efforts. He also met with Target CEO Brian Cornell to discuss the company’s decision to end its DEI initiatives in the same month.
Pastor Jamal Bryant called for a 40-day boycott against Target, which began on Wednesday, March 4. The movement spanned cities including Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Florida, and Alexandria, Virginia. The “Target Fast” coincided with Lent, when some Christians observe fasting.
In an interview with CNN OutFront on May 28, Bryant highlights that the boycott is the most successful boycott by Black people in 70 years since the Montgomery bus boycott. “They’ve lost $1 billion in valuation. Their stock tumbled from $145 a share to $93 a share. The CEO’s salary was cut by 43%,” Bryant said.
The pastor recently encouraged consumers to boycott Dollar General. Bryant is urging consumers to inundate Dollar General’s email account, phone line, and social media with messages to encourage the retailer to reverse its action on DEI efforts.
Image: Getty
