May 28, 2025
Pastor Jamal Bryant is holding Dollar General accountable for its divestment in DEI initiatives, calling for an electronic boycott.
Pastor Jamal Bryant is calling for an electronic protest against Dollar General due to rollbacks of its DEI policies.
Pastor Bryant urges consumers to conduct “a mass technological campaign of telephone and e-mail and social media,” essentially overwhelming all communications.
In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, he discussed why Dollar General has become the newest target. He cites the elimination of DEI policies as a betrayal of the store’s main customer base.
“Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives,” Bryant said. “Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn’t just a corporate retreat − it’s a betrayal of the people they profit from.”
Bryant’s demands are straightforward. He wants a return of DEI, community reinvestment fund, and more Black-owned vendors, and address systemic racism within Dollar General’s corporate culture.”
40-Day Target Fast
As pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Bryant organized the 40-Day Fast. The social movement boycotted Target. Bryant asked people to no longer consume its goods and services. Bryant believes the initiative has been successful. As a result, he is turning his sights toward Dollar General.
“Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we’ve gone on from there,” Bryant told USA TODAY. “We’re done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General.”
Bryant acknowledges that the Target boycott was geared toward impacting sales. Food deserts in rural communities do not necessarily have the luxury of avoiding the company.
According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Access Research Atlas, food deserts are found all across the United States. Thirty percent of Mississippi residents currently live in a food desert. Following Mississippi is New Mexico, with 29% of its population lacking access to larger retailers and fresh foods. However, Northern states are seeing better statistics. New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont come in under 10% of residents living in food deserts.
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