Target Diversity Chief Demands ‘White Women’ Get to Work Against America’s Systemic Racism

A Target Corporation diversity executive demanded “White women” get to work to combat the supposed systemic racism in America, while adding the retail giant was making some internal decisions based on predictions of shifting demographics.

“One of the hardest things in the world to be every day is Black,” Kiera Fernandez, a chief diversity and inclusion officer at Target, said in a video interview with Essence Magazine {snip}

Target has ramped up its DEI efforts, in particular after the death of George Floyd in 2020. Target established the Racial Equity Action and Change – which is led by Fernandez – to rapidly “accelerate” those efforts. The task force focuses on engaging Black customers in stores and ramping up promotions and hiring of Black employees. The retail giant also promised to drastically increase its demographics of Black employees – which was at 50%.

“[W]e’re on track to spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned brands by 2025. We’ve already increased our investments with Black-owned companies and suppliers – including marketing agencies, construction companies, facilities maintenance and more – by 50% since 2020,” Fernandez told the HR Digest in July 2022 {snip}

“And in that shift, it’s important for us to… think about how do we start planting seeds today that prepare for those future… demographic shifts,” she said during a 2021 panel {snip}

She proceeded to say that it was the role of “White women” to call out “transgressions.”

“I think the number one thing that I would encourage White women to do is take the [DEI] learnings… and use your voice… so the woman of color in the room doesn’t always have to.”

{snip}