Why some Michiganders are boycotting Target, Home Depot, and Amazon on Black Friday

The nationwide “We Ain’t Buyin’ It” campaign is asking Americans to stop shopping at Amazon, Home Depot, and Target for five days—from Thanksgiving through Dec. 1. 

MICHIGAN—This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, some Michiganders aren’t lining up for holiday deals. They’re sitting this one out—at least when it comes to three major retailers.

That’s because a new campaign called “We Ain’t Buying It” is calling for a five-day boycott of Amazon, Target, and The Home Depot from Thursday, Nov. 27 through Monday, Dec. 1. 

The organizing coalition—which includes 50501, Black Voters Matter, and Indivisible—alleges  that these three companies have enabled or bankrolled “cruel” policies that have been carried out under the Trump administration, and now deserve to lose sales as a consequence.

Organizers say that skipping purchases, even temporarily, is a way for Michiganders to speak up with their wallets during what is typically one of the most profitable weeks of the year for big companies. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) joined the effort this week.

“SEIU members aren’t rewarding silence or cowardice. We know our power, and we’re using it,” SEIU President April Verrett said in a statement on Wednesday. “We’re choosing our people and our democracy. Corporations need to get on the right side or get left behind.”

Why are these companies being targeted?

Each of the three retailers is being singled out for different reasons:

• Target has reportedly rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and pulled LGBTQ+ merchandise from its shelves after pressure from far-right activists.
• Amazon, whose founder Jeff Bezos reportedly donated more than $1 million to support Trump, continues to face allegations of poor warehouse working conditions, low pay, and brutal delivery quotas that have sparked worker protests for years.
• The Home Depot has been criticized for allowing federal immigration agents to detain immigrant laborers in parking lots outside its stores. Advocates say these incidents  amount to the government targeting vulnerable workers on private property with the company’s tacit approval.

How do I participate?

Just don’t buy anything from Amazon, Target, or The Home Depot from Nov. 28 through Dec. 1.

Organizers say shoppers can instead redirect their spending to smaller, local businesses. 

Participants have also been asked to sign an online pledge to be a “conscious consumer.”

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