On Monday, Rev. Al Sharpton said that Americans should boycott companies that are getting rid of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
This, he said, is how Americans should honor the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sharpton made the remarks at the Metropolitan AME Church, according to The Hill:
Sharpton said his organization, the National Action Network, is calling upon all Americans, regardless of their race or gender, to boycott companies that will no longer support DEI.
“Why do we have DEI? We have DEI because you denied us diversity, you denied us equity, you denied us inclusion. DEI was a remedy to the racial institutionalized bigotry practice in academia and in these corporations. Now, if you want to put us back in the back of the bus, we gonna do the Dr. King-Rosa Parks on you,” Sharpton said as those gathered cheered.
“You must have forgot who we are,” Sharpton added. “We are the ones that you took everything and we still here.”
Reportedly, Sharpton said that a council will engage in a 90-day study of what companies have given up on DEI and what their margins of profit are as a result.
After that, two companies will be targeted, specifically.
This occurred on MLK Day, which happens to be President Donald Trump’s inauguration day.
“We want people to see the tale of two cities in one district,” said Sharpton. “On this side of town, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life to open up America for everybody: Blacks, whites, gays, straights, it didn’t matter. We are with Dr. King.”