Twin Cities Pride Dumps Target After DEI Cuts Spark Outrage

MINNEAPOLIS — Target is out as a sponsor of Twin Cities Pride festivities after the Minneapolis-based corporation cut back its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs last week.

"This year, Twin Cities Pride made the bold decision to part ways with Target as a sponsor, standing firm in our commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion and equity," Twin Cities Pride said in a statement on Sunday.

"This choice means losing $50,000 in funding so we’re calling on you—our incredible community and supporters—to help us fill the gap. Your donation will ensure we can continue providing year-round programming, celebrating Pride with authenticity, and creating safe, inclusive spaces for all. Together, we can show that Pride isn’t just a moment—it’s a movement. Let’s make this happen!"

Target is the latest corporation to pull back on its DEI initiatives, a move that comes after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to investigate private sector diversity programs deemed "illegal."

On Friday, Target announced it would conclude its DEI goals and stop participating in external diversity-focused surveys, including withholding data from the Human Rights Campaign, a nonprofit that evaluates corporate policies on LGBTQ inclusion.

"As a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape," wrote Kiera Fernandez, chief community impact and equity officer for Target, in a memo.

Following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, DEI programs gained significant traction as many companies pledged to combat racial injustice. Leading the charge at the time, Target CEO Brian Cornell allocated $2 billion toward Black-owned businesses by 2025.

"I remember gathering my Black officers right after George Floyd’s murder," Cornell told CBS News. "Those team members had tears in their eyes and they were telling me how it affected them, their families."

Amid a dramatically altered cultural and political climate, Target is moving away from many of the policies it implemented in the aftermath of Floyd's death.

Target joined a fast-growing group of companies dropping diversity commitments and policies, including Meta, Walmart, and Amazon, the New York Times reported.

Target's changes include:

• Concluding its three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
• Concluding its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in 2025 as planned.
• Ensuring its employee resource groups are communities fully focused on development and mentorship.
• Further evaluating its corporate partnerships to ensure they are directly connected to our roadmap for growth.
• Stopping all external diversity-focused surveys, including the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index.
• Evolving its "Supplier Diversity" team to "Supplier Engagement" to better reflect inclusive global procurement process across a broad range of suppliers, including increasing our focus on small businesses

In his executive order signed last week, Trump said that major corporations and other institutions have adopted "dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) or 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws."

"Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex," the executive order continued.

Read Trump's order "Ending Unlawful Discrimination and Promoting Merit-Based Opportunities" here.