ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As Black History Month begins, leaders from Rochester’s Black community are voicing their concerns over recent rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

Companies including Target, Walmart, Ford, and Meta have rolled back on DEI initiatives. In addition, the federal government is ending recognition of commemorative months such as Black History Month.

“We got four years, and this is just the beginning. And there’s no telling what else is coming down the pipe,” Rev. Dr. Rickey Harvey of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church said.

Harvey expressed disappointment in the rollback of DEI policies. In response, he is calling for people to boycott these companies.

“I saw a list of the Targets, etcetera, that are, that are getting rid of the DEI,” Harvey said. “What we really need to do is, like Dr. King did, we need nonviolent organizing again so that we can get a list of who’s not and who is, who’s not for us and who is for us. Us black, brown, minorities, who’s not for us.”

Harvey also addressed President Donald Trump’s accusation of DEI playing a role in the recent plane crash in Washington D.C.

“On one hand, I could have cried for a couple of reasons. I just left D.C. for an MLK occasion. I just flew over that water. Over the Potomac,” Harvey said. “So I was hurt. Very hurt over that. Disappointed, like we always have been. In the things that he does.”

Despite the setbacks, Harvey encourages the Black community to remain resilient.

“We can’t walk, talk, look, or feel defeated. We’re going to make it,” he said.

Federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, among others, have already rolled back diversity requirements under the Trump administration.

The call for boycotts is being echoed nationwide by groups such as the Racial Justice Network, the Council on Islamic-American Relations, and Black Lives Matter groups in Minneapolis, where Target is headquartered.

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