Coaching and digital education company Career Love LLC is launching a free Career Love Community, a digital space helping Black women who have been laid off from their jobs. Founded by career coach and DEI Mercedes Swan, the initiative aims to provide a space where Black women can access resources, network, and support after experiencing job loss. “Black women are tired of surviving systems and spaces that weren’t built for us,” Swan said in a press release. “We deserve more, and I am excited to build a safe community where
On Friday, October 9, Black Tech Fest (BTF) hosted its fifth annual festival, which brings tech professionals, creatives, and academics. BTF hosts a range of workshops and talks by some of the biggest names in the tech and creative industry. For the first time since its existence, the UK government declined BTF’s invitation to speak at the festival. BTF planned to ask the UK government questions related to biases in AI, mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting, and the DEI pullback. As a festival that champions diversity and inclusion, it was
Burberry, a British fashion house, has cut Geoffrey Williams, the head of diversity, from his role. “As part of a wider restructure, Burberry has chosen to integrate responsibility for diversity, equity, and inclusion across the organization,” Williams wrote in a LinkedIn post. He continued: “This reflects a belief that DEI should be embedded throughout the culture and owned by leaders across the business. The successful transition from a centralised function to a shared responsibility will help ensure long-term sustainability.” Burberry scrapping diversity role Burberry is currently in the midst of
Tabitha Brown says her business has taken a “major hit” following boycotts of Target earlier this year. The backlash came after Target announced in January 2025 that it would end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including programs supporting Black- and minority-owned brands. Brown, who sold home décor and hair care lines through the retailer, has since pivoted with the April launch of her Tab & Chance fragrance, sold directly to consumers. Target Boycott affecting Black Businsesses When the boycott was announced, Brown said she understood the desire for
Wells Fargo has quietly changed its public-facing DEI language, removing all diversity language, according to HR Brew. The outlet compared the financial services company’s current website with an earlier version recovered from an internet archive. The program is now framed as “inclusion and accessibility,” a rebrand that mirrors a wider corporate trend of softening or rephrasing diversity commitments amid political and legal backlash. Wells Fargo quietly deleting DEI from its website In February, Wells Fargo announced that it would no longer need hiring managers to consider a diverse slate of candidates
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
After serving at Target for 11 years, CEO Brian Cornell is stepping down from the retailer after it faced low foot traffic and backlash to ending its DEI efforts. Cornell will stay on as executive chairman and will be replaced by Target’s current chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke, on February 1, 2026, according to a press release. He took over the company in 2014 and transformed the retailer, overseeing a strategy to remodel stores and strengthen the chain’s online business to compete with Amazon. Target’s decline Target has been on
Target has struggled to recover from boycotts and backlash following its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The retailer’s foot traffic has remained low, according to data from analytics platform Placer.ai. Since Q1 2024, the company’s year-over-year foot traffic changes have closely mirrored its revenue shifts, Retail Brew reports, differing by an average of just 1.2 percentage points over the past five quarters. Scaling Back DEI Efforts In January, Target announced that it would end its three-year DEI goals, conclude its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in
President Donald Trump has signed a new order that requires universities to share detailed data on the demographics of their incoming classes each year, according to The Independent. The order will allow Department of Education officials to see if universities are still using banned programs that support underrepresented groups. A fact sheet shared with The Independent by a White House official says Trump’s presidential memorandum to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon gives her permission to require “transparency” from higher education institutions receiving federal funds in the form of student aid with a “revamp” of
The Trump Administration has cut funding for the Digital Equity Act (DEA), which was designed to address disparities in digital access across the US. The DEA aimed to tackle digital equity gaps by supporting state and local efforts to build inclusive digital infrastructure and skills programs. It encouraged comprehensive digital equity plans across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as grassroots projects led by communities and coalitions. #BlackTechFutures Loses $12M Grant Fallon Wilson, the founder and executive director of the #BlackTechFutures Research Institute, received
