♪ WISH I HAD MOVIE STAR LOOKS ♪ ♪ I WISH I ... ♪ >> CATHY: LAST FRIDAY, TARGET ANNOUNCED IT WOULD BE ROLLING BACK ITS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES.

THE MOVE FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS-BASED RETAILER HAS SPURRED PROTESTS AND A CALL TO BOYCOTT STORES.

ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OPPOSING TARGET'S ACTION IS BLACK LIVES MATTER CO-FOUNDER, MONIQUE CULLARS-DOTY, AND SHE JOINS US NOW.

WE LEFT MULTIPLE MESSAGES WITH TARGET'S OFFICES TO RESPOND AND JOIN US, BUT THEY WENT UNANSWERED.

BUT WE'RE REALLY PLEASED THAT MONIQUE IS WITH US.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU ERE.

I'M WONDERING, WAZ YOUR THEORY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THIS SEEMS TO BE A NATIONAL TREND AND WHY DO YOU THINK TARGET'S BACK-TRACKING?

>> WELL, WE'VE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPANIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

TARGET JUST HAPPENS TO BE BASED ON MINNEAPOLIS HICH IS LOCAL AND WE DECIDED TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON TARGET FOR SEVERAL VARIOUS REASONS, BUT WE HAVE SEEN PRESSURE FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES TO REMOVE THEIR D.E.I.

PROGRAMS WHICH ARE -- THEY ARE VITAL.

THEY'RE VITAL TO THE WORKERS AND THE STAFF.

AND IT'S VITAL TO THE COMMUNITIES.

EVERYONE BENEFITS FROM D.E.I., AND INCLUSION, THAT IS WHAT IT IS.

>> Eric: HOW STRONG AN ALLY HAS TARGET BEEN?

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT TARGET HAS BEEN AN ALLY TO THE POLICE COMMUNITY BECAUSE ARGET HAS A CRIME LAB.

AND WHAT WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE IS FOR TARGET TO USE THE RESOURCE OF THAT CRIME LAB TO HELP THESE FAMILIES OF STOLEN LIVES, INDIVIDUALS ILLED BY POLICE, TO HELP GET TRUTH ABOUT THOSE MURDERS AS WELL.

SO IN THAT SENSE, THEY'VE BEEN AN ALLY ON THE POLICE.

BUT WE DID SEE FTER THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD THAT TARGET REALLY STEPPED UP TO EMBRACE, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, TO SEE THE DIFFERENCES IT COULD MAKE AFTER THEIR STORE IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS URNED AND LOOTED.

RIGHT?

SO WE KNOW THAT LOOTING IS A SYMPTOM OF A COMMUNITY THAT IS LIVING IN LACK, WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO PROVIDE AND SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LASH OUT WITH OUTRAGE AS WELL SOA.

TARGET RESPONDED POSITIVELY.

AND I WILL GIVE THEM ALL THE CREDIT FOR THAT.

>> Cathy: DID YOU THINK IT WAS GOING TO LAST, THOUGH, IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS?

>> IT SHOULD HAVE LASTED.

I HAD NO REASON TO THINK THAT IT WOULD NOT LAST?

>> Eric: ARE YOU TAKING A GAMBLE WITH THIS.

I'VE HEARD FROM SOME MINORITY VENDORS, THEY'VE SAID THIS AY HURT ME UNINTENTIONALLY.

>> THIS IS ABOUT THE GREATER GOOD AND WITHOUT TARGET KEEPING THEIR D.E.I.

PROGRAM, WILL THOSE VENDORS BE IN THE STORES NEXT YEAR?

RIGHT?

SO MOVING FORWARD, WE WANT THE D.E.I.

WE WANT THE VENDORS OF COLOR TO BE APPRECIATED AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO XPAND THEIR PROFILE AND THEIR PRODUCTS.

BUT WE WANT TARGET TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM.

AND NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG RAISED A GREAT CONCERN, THAT TARGET WAITED UNTIL AFTER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SHOPPING SPREE, BUT RIGHT BEFORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH STARTS TO ANNOUNCE A ROLLBACK ON THE D.E.I.

SO IT WAS IN A SENSE SABOTAGING THOSE BLACK VENDORS WHO HAVE PREPARED FOR SALES FOR THE BLACK -- FOR THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

>> Cathy: SOMEBODY ASKED ME TODAY, DO YOU THINK A BOYCOTT WOULD WORK?

NOW, WE SHOULD LOOK BACK IN HISTORY.

THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOY OA COT OBVIOUSLY WORKED, AND BOY COTS HAVE WORKED IN HISTORIC FORMS.

WHY DO YOU THINK THOUGH IN 2025 THIS WILL WORK?

>> I BELIEVE THIS WILL WORK, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT JUST BLACK PEOPLE BOY COTING TARGET.

REMEMBER, DE D.E.

ITCH IS INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE WHO HAS NOT BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED AND PEOPLE WHO WOULD OT NECESSARILY QUALIFY UNDER D.E.I., BUT HAVE COMPASSION AND THEY ARE STANDING WITH US AS WELL.

SO THIS IS A BROAD CAMPAIGN NATIONWIDE.

TO PUT TARGET UNDER THE MICROSCOPE AND MAKE TARGET THE ACTUAL TARGET.

>> Eric: HAVE YOU HEARD FROM TARGET EMPLOYEES?

HOW ARE THEY HANDLING IT?

>> Cathy: BECAUSE I THINK YESTERDAY YOU ALL WERE CALLING THEM TO SPEAK UP.

>> I'VE NOT HEARD DIRECTLY.

I DO KNOW SOME TARGET EMPLOYEES AND I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO REACH OUT.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT I CAN SAY THIS.

HISTORICALLY FROM PEOPLE THAT I'VE KNOWN, THEY'VE HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES WORKING AT TARGET AS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND WHEN OU INTRODUCE A D.E.I.

PROGRAM, INTO A COMPANY OR AN ORGANIZATION, IT REALLY PROVIDES THE STAFF, THE EMPLOYEES, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A SHARED EXPERIENCE OR SHARED QUALITIES, RIGHT, TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

BUT ALSO, IT'S SAYING, HEY, WE NEED TO RECRUIT AND HAVE OUR STAFF LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE GET BETTER OUTCOMES WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

>> Cathy: I BELIEVE YOU ALL WERE CALLING FOR THE BOY COT TO START TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 1ST.