Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, has launched a digital protest campaign targeting Dollar General, one of the largest discount retailers in the U.S. The initiative comes in response to the company’s recent rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and what Bryant describes as a failure to invest in the very communities that support its business.
Bryant argues that many Dollar General stores are concentrated in low-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods, yet the corporation is not reinvesting adequately in those areas. He called the DEI cuts “a betrayal of the very people who keep them in business.”
Unlike a traditional boycott, Bryant's strategy focuses on non-disruptive digital action. Recognizing that Dollar General is often the only accessible source of groceries and essentials in some communities, the campaign encourages people to express their concerns through phone calls, emails, and social media posts rather than stop shopping altogether. Bryant described it as “a protest fit for the digital age.”
This campaign follows a similar movement Bryant led against Target last year, in response to its own DEI policy reductions. That effort lasted 40 days and, according to Bryant, contributed to noticeable market consequences including a drop in stock value according to USA Today.
With this new initiative, Bryant is calling on faith communities and conscious consumers to demand that DEI not remain a corporate buzzword but be reflected in real, ongoing commitments.
The campaign is already gaining traction within Bryant’s congregation and beyond, highlighting how spiritual leaders are using digital tools to mobilize for social accountability. Whether the campaign will lead to any measurable corporate shifts remains to be seen—but it signals that community voices are increasingly finding ways to speak out, even without leaving home.
