A new national protest campaign is targeting Dollar General over its quiet retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Why Dollar General is under fire
Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, leader of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, announced the launch of an electronic protest against Dollar General this week.
He accuses the retailer of:
- Walking away from DEI commitments
- Ignoring Black and low-income communities it heavily profits from
- Failing to reinvest in underserved areas, many of which are food deserts
“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,” Bryant said.
The strategy: Digital disruption over store boycott
Unlike the Target protest, which encouraged consumers to stop shopping entirely, this campaign is technological.
Supporters are urged to:
- Call and email Dollar General’s corporate offices
- Post criticism across social media platforms
- Demand that the company reinstate DEI programs
Bryant noted that in many rural areas, Dollar General is the only access point for groceries. A full boycott, he said, could hurt the very communities activists are trying to protect.
What the protesters want
Bryant’s coalition is demanding that Dollar General:
- Restore and strengthen its DEI infrastructure
- Create a community reinvestment fund
- Expand contracts with Black-owned vendors
- Address systemic racism in its corporate culture
Even those who don’t shop at Dollar General can join the protest, Bryant said.
Target boycott sets precedent
This move follows a similar boycott against Target, which began as a Lenten “Target Fast” and evolved into a long-term economic action. That protest led to a 35% drop in Target’s stock and lower in-store foot traffic.
Despite talks with civil rights leaders, Target has not met all demands from Bryant’s group, prompting them to declare an “indefinite blackout.”
Bryant says the effort against Dollar General is just the beginning. “Any organization or company that is adverse to our community is on the list,” he said.
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