Grassroots groups call for Black Friday, Cyber Monday 'blackout'

Boycott of big-box stores for Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Grassroots groups around the nation are calling on shoppers to boycott big-box stores they say have given in to President Donald Trump and given up on promises to support diversity, equity and inclusion. FOX 5's Christopher King has the story.

ATLANTA - This is the time of year retailers cash in on big sales, but grassroots groups around the nation are calling on shoppers to boycott big-box stores they say have given in to President Donald Trump and given up on promises to support diversity, equity and inclusion.

They’re urging consumers to avoid the retail giants and spend at local, independent businesses.

What we know:

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church launched what it calls Bullseye Black Market. The church is calling on consumers to hold off spending at giants like Target, Amazon and Home Depot, instead buy local from small, black-owned businesses.

"It’s a good idea," said shopper, Ilana Nosworthy. "Whatever they have, we have here."

More than 90 small businesses will sell their products Friday through Sunday. Shoppers are plunking down cash at the market during this crucial holiday spending season.

What they're saying:

"If we’re not on the same wavelength, if you’re not supporting what we feel and how our communities are coming up, why should I give you my money?" Nosworthy asked.

Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor at New Birth, earlier this year, launched a boycott of Target after it scaled back DEI policies. 

"To show specifically big-box companies that minority organizations cannot be overlooked or ignored," said Rev. Bryant. "All politics is local and so are all economic engines."

Renee Alexander, who owns Miss Renee’s Health Solutions, says shopping small keeps cash close to home. 

"It helps to give back to your community," Alexander said. "Employ high school students, college students to help them with their college tuition and high-school fees. We need to make sure that we are financially stable and that accumulate wealth and that we have a place in the economy so that we thrive as well."