‘Absolutely Not A Dime’: Pastor Jamal Bryant Denies Being Paid To End Target Fast, Admits ‘Struggle Continues’

'This week, I failed...I called for the end of the Target Fast,' he said on his podcast.

The pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Jamal Bryant, has addressed on his podcast, “Let’s Be Clear,” the controversy surrounding his calling the end of the year-long “Target Fast” protest, denying claims that he or his colleagues were financially compensated to end the campaign.

“Absolutely not a dime for even our meetings,” Bryant told Capital B Atlanta. “I bought my own plane ticket, bought my own hotel. Target has never even bought me lunch.” The pastor expressed frustration at social media backlash accusing him of lifting the fast for financial gain. But he admits he misstepped when calling an end to the Target Fast.

The Target Fast, launched in March 2025, was designed to mobilize the Black church and encourage economic activism, not to replace ongoing civic actions.

“This week, I failed…I called for the end of the Target Fast,” he said on his podcast on March 13. “Most in our community and culture were disappointed, angry, frustrated, and bewildered. What did it mean? Have you sold out? Have you given up?” You wave it wave the white flag, and emphatically the answer is no. I wanted to uh walk you through uh what has taken place over the last year that has gotten us to the place of where we are right now. “

He went on to explain the Target Fast. “A year ago, the Target boycott started in two different places. One in Cleveland, the other in Minneapolis, Minnesota, distinctively by two significantly strong sisters, attorney Nekima (Levy Armstrong) and Representative Nina Turner. I watched it play out in real time, and it dawned on me that the Black church was not a part of the equation or the conversation. To mobilize the Black Church to be part of the boycott, he called for the Target Fast,” he said, adding that he did not aim to take the spotlight from Armstrong and Turner, but to “walk alongside them.”

The Target Fast, he said, was to go 40 days, from Ash Wednesday to Easter 2025, with four concessions asked of Target.

The Target Fast sought to achieve four major goals: restore corporate DEI commitments, honor a $2 billion pledge in George Floyd-related investments, increase support for Black banks, and build partnerships with HBCUs for business education. Bryant highlighted that the community’s collective fasting and strategic withholding of dollars had significant impact. Target has reportedly completed 97% of the $2 billion pledge, with the remainder expected by Easter, and has contributed millions to HBCU programs and Black-led community organizations. However, investments in Black banks remain unfulfilled.

However, without these concessions seemingly being met, Bryant called an end to the Target Fast earlier this week, a mistake he now concedes.

He noted that he considered Target Fast as just a “strategy” of the overall Target boycott, not the boycott itself. He admits to being “out of touch” with what the community wanted and demanded. “I have heard you…not having a good read of the room, I take full responsibility.”

Bryant stressed the importance of accurate reporting and understanding the movement’s scope. “The Target Fast entity, which is the faith-based initiative, is claiming victory,” he said, reiterating that no one was advised to return to shopping at Target stores. He credited Black women leaders, including Armstrong, Turner, and activist Tama Mallerie, for initiating and guiding the broader boycott.

Bryant also reflected on the communal and spiritual aspects of the movement, noting the role of 300,000 participants who signed up for the fast and engaged in cooperative economic practices, including supporting Black-owned businesses. He encouraged ongoing civic engagement, housing initiatives, and voter mobilization as extensions of the movement’s ethos.

While the Target Fast has officially concluded, Bryant affirmed that the fight for economic justice and corporate accountability continues. He called on the community to remain engaged, support Black-led initiatives, and recognize the power of collective action.

The pastor concluded: “I am grateful for the strides that we have made. The struggle continues, and the best is yet to come.”