Rev. Al Sharpton Meets With Target CEO Over DEI

NEW YORK – Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement after meeting last Thursday morning with Target CEO Brian Cornell at NAN’s corporate headquarters in New York City.

“This morning, I had a very constructive and candid meeting with Brian Cornell that included NAN National Board Chair Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson and NAN Senior Advisor Carra Wallace. I am going to inform our allies, including Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, of our discussion, what my feelings are, and we will go from there.”

Thursday’s meeting with Target marked the second such discussion Rev. Sharpton has had this week with the head of a global corporation over its stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Rev. Sharpton similarly met on Tuesday with the Chairman and the CEO of North America for PepsiCo to get clarity on its stance on DEI, whether they were shutting down their commitments due to pressure from President Trump and right-wing activists, and the path moving forward. Rev. Sharpton will consult with members of the NAN Board of Directors over the Easter Holiday to determine any next steps with Target, PepsiCo, and other companies that have scaled back their DEI programs or pledges.