A 24-hour national economic blackout is planned for this Friday in response to the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives sparked by the Trump administration, and a number of stores will be boycotted.
Newsweek has contacted the group admins of The People’s Union USA Facebook group, which is the community organizing the blackout, via Facebook for comment. Newsweek has also contacted the targeted stores, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and McDonald’s for comment via email.
Why It Matters
At the start of his presidency, Trump ended several DEI initiatives in the federal government. He issued an executive order that funds could be frozen for companies that do not comply, and Trump also outlawed any messaging that promotes inclusion-based language.
The orders have caused PBS to close its DEI office, while major companies like Amazon, Target and Google are taking steps to dissolve DEI initiatives.
Matthias Balk/dpa via AP
What To Know
The blackout has been organized by The People’s Union USA, which describes itself as a “movement uniting citizens to reclaim power from corrupt politicians and corporations.”
It’s Facebook group was created on February 11, 2025 and it has 2,015 members. 988 of those have joined the group in the last week.
The blackout will take place from 12 a.m. on February 28 until 11:59 p.m., according to guidance shared on X, formerly Twitter, which is titled, “Al Sharpton’s DEI Boycott Plan.” Sharpton is a reverend and a political activist who founded the National Action Network, and he called for the boycott of companies removing their DEI programs at the end of January.
During the 24-hour period on Friday, those participating in the blackout have been asked to avoid making any purchases or shop online or in-store.
They have also been asked to avoid Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, McDonald’s and other fast-food stores.
Participants have also been asked to not spend any money on gas or at major retailers, and not to use their credit or debit cards for any nonessential spending.
Those joining the boycott can only buy essentials if “absolutely necessary,” such as food, medicine, and emergency supplies.
In addition, if they do need to make a purchase on Friday, they are asked to spend the money in small, local businesses.
In the guidance created for Friday’s boycott, it has also been recommended that those wishing to take part buy everything they need for the day before Friday.
What People Are Saying
Reverend Al Sharpton, when speaking at the Metropolitan AME Church on January 20 as he announced a boycott of companies eliminating DEI programs, said, according to The Hill: “Why do we have DEI? We have DEI because you denied us diversity, you denied us equity, you denied us inclusion. DEI was a remedy to the racial institutionalized bigotry practice in academia and in these corporations. Now, if you want to put us back in the back of the bus, we gonna do the Dr. King-Rosa Parks on you.”
John Schwarz, one of the organizers of The People’s Union USA group, told USA Today: “I’m trying to use my platform right now to organize and gather people who can see past what divides us and potentially maybe down the road legally find some way to unionize ourselves, to create a powerful voice within the system to create change.”
“But for now, the economic blackout is about getting people together, up off the couch, so to speak, to do something together,” he added.
What’s Next
It is not known how many will get involved in the boycott, but Kevin Thompson, finance expert and founder/CEO of 9i Capital Group, previously told Newsweek that if the blackout gains significant popularity, there could be widespread consumer shifts, not only affecting the targeted stores, but also the wider retail sector.
Correction 2/26/25, 9:24 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to clarify that the blackout starts at 12 a.m. and not noon.
