Friday, March 13, 2026

Divide over Target boycott

Plus: Abortion as murder bill fails ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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This is America

Stories of justice and action across America

Fri Mar 13 2026

 

So is the Target boycott on or off?

Welcome back, This is America readers, I'm Phillip M. Bailey, chief political correspondent at USA TODAY.

When the Trump administration began to target diversity programs and policies, many corporations caved sparking a response by Black faith leaders, who urged shoppers to keep their money from those retailers.

After more than a year of protests, which saw Target's stock price drop, Atlanta-based Pastor Jamal Bryant announced it was coming to an end, saying the boycott made significant progress.

That strikes many observers as odd given how the retailer didn't make any concessions or reverse its decision to ditch DEI , which even the materials shared by Bryant's organization confirmed. Other grassroots leaders who first declared a national boycott distanced themselves from his announcement.

"How can you call off a boycott focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and have no results to show for it? That is a slap in the face for the people," said Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network. 

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A sign hangs outside of a Target store on February 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

For more on DEI and the Target boycott, check out USA TODAY's coverage:

These are the companies that rolled back DEI amid Trump backlash: Here are some of the companies that made changes.

Trump wants White men to sue for race discrimination. This man did: David Duvall had been a senior vice president at Novant Health for five years in July 2018 when the multibillion-dollar health system fired him and promoted his deputies − a White woman and a Black woman − to take over his duties.

Target faced two DEI boycotts. One ended. The other hasn't: Here's why

Tennessee bill aimed at treat abortion as homicide fails

Back in February two Tennessee Republican legislators floated a proposal that would charge a woman with homicide if she chose to terminate her pregnancy.

Tennessee already has some of the strictest laws against abortion in the nation, including up to a 15-year prison sentence for physicians who perform the procedure.

The measure classified harm done to an unborn child as equal to assault on a person "born alive" but critics pointed out how this change would expose those women to charges that carry life in prison or even death sentences. It failed unceremoniously on March 10 after no one made a motion to hear it in a subcommittee meeting.

Such measures have divided anti-abortion advocates, who are often reluctant to criminalize expectant mothers, but that hasn't stopped some from facing prosecution.

In Texas, for example, Lizelle Herrera was indicted for murder in 2022 after a "self-induced abortion," but a judge quickly  dismissed the case and she later  filed a lawsuit against prosecutors for dragging her into court.

Charcoal seller Ariel Anillo, 52, waits for clients while sitting next to an image of the late Cuban President Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba, on March 3, 2026.

Cuba's leader signals he's open to signing an economic deal with the Trump administration as the White House cuts off fuel supplies.

Emergency room physician Thomas Fisher, 51, is running for Congress to challenge changes the Trump administration has made to health care.
 

From the ER to the ballot: Doctors run to challenge RFK Jr.'s agenda

Doctors and scientists are running for office, motivated by concerns over health policy, anti-science movements, and cuts to social programs.

Taxpayers have until April 15 to file their 2023 federal and state of Michigan income tax returns. Millions will file earlier to get their tax refund cash.
 

IRS may owe you a refund from COVID but you'll have to act quickly

Millions of taxpayers may be owed an IRS refund for penalties or interest charged during COVID. You'll have to act quickly if you're one of them.

Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) speaks with Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in February 2025.
 

With bipartisan support, Senate passes big housing reform bill

The Senate passed a marquee bipartisan housing reform bill, sending it to the House of Representatives.

Tommy Bell, a patient transporter at AdventHealth Deland, became a patient himself after experiencing concerning symptoms.
 

He had 3 heart attacks in 4 days. This simple action may have saved his life.

Tommy Bell and one of his doctors explain why his decision to seek care after concerning symptoms may have saved his life.

 

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