Tabitha Brown is clarifying the situation regarding her partnership with Target.
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afrotech
As previously reported, the retailer walked back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments as early as 2025, a move that helped fuel a consumer boycott that still continues.
While Target was not the only major retailer to downplay DEI efforts, many critics focused on the company due to its past effort to support Black-owned businesses and other minority groups.
Brown is among the business owners whose products are sold at Target stores. She is under a licensing deal with the retailer, and her haircare brand Donna’s Recipe – launched in partnership with Gina Woods – is carried in stores as AFROTECH.
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Told you earlier.
Brown made a discreet Instagram post on Jan. 24 that didn’t mention a single word, but it was clear she was referencing the retailer. During an interview on iHeartPodcast’s “Not My Best Moment” hosted by KevOnStage, Brown shared how Black content creators working with Target for the first time for Black History Month and Black-owned businesses with products on Target shelves who saw his video reached out to him in Grooves.
“‘What are we going to do, Tab’… ‘This is going to kill our business’… ‘They’re going to boycott,'” the messages sent to her said, as Brown said on the podcast.
Brown acknowledged that she feels responsible to speak out as an advocate for small businesses. A day later, she shared her honest thoughts on Target’s decision to reduce DEI and its impact on Black small business owners with a separate post. His comments sparked backlash online.
He made clear his feelings that sparked the protest on “Not My Best Moment”.
“I have multiple businesses. Don’t worry about me. But these other people, and I said this in the video, some of these Black-owned businesses, are coming into the store for the first time. That’s why I was really upset because Target, you all actually did this right before the Black History Month launch. You all know what it’s going to do to these businesses. You know how long it takes to get there,'” she said on the podcast.
“I was trying to educate people about what’s going to happen for these small businesses. Because some people are like, “I’m not boycotting.” I’m like, “Listen, I understand. But if you do, great. If you decide not to do this and go to Target anyway, please only buy black. “Just support those businesses because the numbers don’t lie.”
Nevertheless, Brown’s video was misinterpreted by viewers and misinformation spread.
“There were a lot of lies being told like, ‘They took all the black businesses out of Target.’ I said, ‘No, they haven’t done that yet.’ They didn’t do it because they legally can’t do it, but they can do it when the fiscal year comes to a close and they start looking at the numbers, saying, ‘Oh, this was your forecast and you came in.’ You couldn’t complete the numbers.’ Now, he has a reason to remove them. That’s what I tried to convey,” he said.
Brown also called out pastor Jamal Bryant, who led the boycott against Target, for allegedly spreading misinformation that said it could pull its products from shelves and sell them directly to consumers. However, this was not possible in his licensing deal without losing a lot of money and getting sued.
She noted on the podcast that she was almost at the finish line with her Target contract, as also stated in the Instagram video. Amidst the stress, Brown said he spent time with God seeking clarity and learning lessons. Looking to the future, he said that now all his contracts will have a dual morality clause.
Amidst the stress, Brown said he spent time with God seeking clarity and learning lessons. Looking to the future, he said that now all his contracts will have a dual morality clause.
The post Tabitha Brown faces increased security after her statements regarding Target boycott and saying ‘I am not the enemy’ appeared first on AfroTech.
The post Tabitha Brown faces increased security after her statements regarding Target boycott and saying ‘I am not the enemy’ appeared first on AfroTech.
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