Pastor Jamal Bryant apologizes for confusion surrounding his Target Fast and continued boycott from other leaders: ‘Black women started this movement’

The Atlanta pastor made remarks on Wednesday, declaring an end to his fast from the store.

Pastor Jamal Bryant caused a firestorm earlier this week when he announced the end of his Target Fast, which originally was set to run through Lent last year, but extended into a year-long fast. Many believed that Bryant’s announcement marked the formal end of the overarching Target boycott, which began last February, leading some organizers to speak out against Bryant and insist that the national boycott was ongoing.

Now, Bryant is apologizing while also stating he hasn’t received any money from Target or been compensated to end the fast.

During the latest episode of his “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, which was the 100th recording of the show on Friday (Mar. 13), the Atlanta pastor clarified comments he made regarding the end of the Target Fast and how he was not the leader of said movement, but Black women such as Nina Turner, Tamika Mallory and Dr. Nekima Levy Armstrong.

“Today was supposed to be a hallmark celebration,” Bryant began. “But given the most recent events that have taken place this week, we’re having
to make a hard pivot.”

He later added around the six-minute mark, “I wanted you to know that I’ve heard your emphatic outcry, that it wasn’t just about those four, but Target in the community’s estimation, was a prime candidate for cancellation. Saying no matter what happened, you are not going back. I was reading from a different sheet of music. I made assumptions that were not true. And I wanted to apologize to you for being a leader that was out of touch with what it is that the community wanted and sensed what it is that the community were demanding.”

In their own statement through CAIR-Minnesota, the founders of the Target boycott said nothing had changed in their decision not to return to the store.

“Let’s be clear: the Target boycott is not over. This is a grassroots movement led by communities demanding corporate accountability, and we will not stop until Target reverses its retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Armstrong, one of the boycott’s founders, said.

To date, Target has not addressed the national backlash to the boycott nor restored DEI policies. During his press conference on Wednesday, Bryant spoke about some of the demands from the fast, including honoring a $2 billion pledge to Black businesses, depositing $250 million in Black banks, fully restoring DEI commitments, and implementing retail business programs at HBCUs. All of those demands, per Bryant and other organizers, had been met, save for the $250 million deposit.

Still, Bryant chose to take a back seat in his apology, putting the women who organized the boycott first.

“I am surrounded by brilliant, beautiful black women,” Bryant said. “And so in no ounce of my bones or blood would I ever try to co-opt what it is that black women are building. Just a week ago, when I had the humbling opportunity to speak at Reverend Jackson’s funeral, in my remarks, I said that we’ve got to let black women lead.”

He continued, “Let the record reflect and show that it was black women that started this movement. It was black women who were at the helm. And it’s been my privilege to stand alongside them.”

Many believed that Bryant’s decision to end the fast stemmed from a deal he struck with them, a claim he vehemently denied.

“I am not an employee of Target,” the Atlanta pastor said. “I have not been compensated by Target. None of my colleagues or comrades have received a dime from Target. The church that I pastor has not received anything. No 501c3, no friends of mine have received anything from Target. Whenever we met, we bought our own plane tickets and hotels, and we were never even fed. We are grateful that we can stand before
you with clean hands and a pure heart to say in the words of Hosea Williams that we’re unbought and we’re unbossed.”

Days after his earlier comments, Mallory herself said she would not be returning to the store.

“What are we going to do next? What is the evolution even beyond Target? Which companies are next? Who else do we want to hold accountable, and how can we come together to see to it that other companies experience a $12 billion loss in market share value? That is something that we have done together. We did that. That’s our collective power,” she told Roland Martin. “And again, Target is important. The work should continue. However, there are other companies that are hiding. They are not receiving the same pressure and the same type of accountability as we have placed on target. And we want to I want to be a part of those conversations and that work as well.”

She continued: “I pray that it does continue in the ways in which people feel they need to so that we get to an end that is not just about Target, but that it is about holding corporations accountable ultimately. And what is most important to me is that this boycott is it sends a clear message to the Trump administration that you may arrest us. You may try to silence our voices with all the suppression tactics, but the one thing you cannot do is force us to spend our money with companies where we feel disrespected.”