Conscious Consuming: Black History Month edition

Conscious Consuming: Black History Month edition

I truly cannot believe January is over. Remember that one year when January lasted like 17 years?? 

Its’ February, which means it's Black History Month. Instead of sharing fun facts (one of my favorite things to do), I wanted to discuss the conversation around many corporations ending their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. 

I’m sure you heard that Target recently announced its “concluding” its DEI goals. I heard that Meta has also scaled back its DEI initiatives but to be honest, was that ever truly a concern for Mark Zuckerberg? Other companies scaling back or ending their DEI initiatives include Lowes, Walmart, McDonalds, and several car companies like Toyota, Ford and Nissan. 

What is DEI?  

  • Diversity is an idea that “represents the variety of identities, perspectives, and experiences" of individuals collectively. 

  • Equity “is a principle that centers on creating systems, organizations, and societies that are fair and just. It involves first recognizing when disadvantages and barriers exist, and then allocating resources and support to ensure equal access and opportunities for all.” 

  • Finally, inclusion is the practice of  “active, intentional, and ongoing efforts to create environments where all individuals are welcomed, feel a sense of belonging, and are respected, supported, and valued to fully participate.”  (all definitions come from the University of Michigan).

Removing Our Products from Target.com

Last year, Sainte Nèl was excited to launch our overnight cuticle serum, Silhouette, on Target.com. I was overjoyed because I had been trying for years to get my products on a big shelf. But in light of recent events, Sainte Nèl will be removing its products from Target.com.

If so many corporations are cutting back DEI, why are we going so hard at Target? Because in 2020, in response to the murder to George Floyd, Target announced that by the end of 2025, it would spend more than $2 Billion with Black businesses, pledged $100 Million to support black owned orgs and schools, and committed to diversify its workforce (read more here from CNN).  No one asked Target for this. They made the commitment clearly as a publicity stunt. Now that supporting diversity is no longer trendy, they are backtracking. It's insulting to me as a Black Woman, and I do not want to be associated with a large corporation that does not respect me, or my community.  

Be a Conscious Consumer

But what about in our day to day life? We still have to buy food, toilet paper, cars, home improvement tools etc. What are we supposed to do? Keep giving our money to corporations that accrue massive amounts of wealth and then actively work against our personal interests? 

I will speak for myself and state that I work TOO DAMN HARD to earn money, just to turn around and spend it with corporations that can’t even pretend to care about my wellbeing. I’d love to disavow every corporation that stands against my values, but that’s highly unrealistic for most of us. So how can I try to live true to my values, while at the same time, be a consumer in America? 

I don’t really have an answer but I know that this is where conscious consuming becomes important. Making intentional choices about where to spend our money is key. 

  1. Try to find alternatives. 
    - I know we all have more than one Target or Walmart nearby.  But is there a smaller, local or regional store where you can buy essentials like toilet paper, paper towels etc? Yes it may cost slightly more, so mentally prepare for that now. But will you feel better knowing that you both supported a locally owned business and didn’t give your money to a corporation that's against your values? If the answer is yes, then give it a try. 

  2. Buy Directly
    - Target loves to tout its Black Owned business section but guess what? You can buy those same products directly from the small retailers themselves (and they get to keep 100% of the profit when you buy directly). My mom loves Lip Bar, a Black owned cosmetics company that has a large presence in Target. But she has recently started purchasing directly from Lip Bar’s site instead of buying it from Target. 

  3. Encourage your Loved Ones to do the above
    - You don’t need to construct a soap box and annoy all your family and friends. But if someone has mentioned that they think it's a bad idea to end DEI initiatives, encourage them to look for alternative sources of their essentials or to buy directly from the diversely owned companies they want to support. 

These are things I do in my personal life but I know there’s other tips and suggestions. Let me know if you have any and generally, I’d love to hear your thoughts on DEI, Boycotts, Target or Black History Month. I know there are a variety of opinions and that's ok! Email me at hello@saintenel.com.

Regardless of what’s going on in US government or the corporate world, we can continue to live as conscious consumers and people with integrity. I hope you have a great Black History Month and an amazing 2025. 

 

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