The People’s Union is conducting a country-wide, 24-hour economic shutdown on February 28 as a protest against the federal government’s termination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Throughout the month of January, President Donald Trump has returned to office and targeted the removal of a number of DEI programmes in the federal government. He executive-ordered freezing of assets for companies who do not meet new mandates and prohibited the use of inclusion-oriented messaging.
This has spawned actions, e.g., PBS closing down its DE&I office and progressive moves made by major companies like Amazon and Target, as well as Google to disinvest in DE&I activities. The nationwide economic shutdown is a direct consequence of this decision which has been undertaken with the intention to bring the economy to a standstill and send a loud message.
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What Is the Economic Blackout Day?
Scheduled to begin at 12 a.m. on February 28, the blackout will see participants refrain from making any purchases for 24 hours, whether online or in physical stores. The boycott was carried out at well-known department stores such as Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Furthermore, spending on snacks and fuel is discouraged for participants. To those who cannot avoid shopping, the union urges shopping exclusively at small, local businesses by the vendors.
Its financial cost has yet to be quantified, but according to the People’s Union, a failure of the economy, also on a single day, maybe a way to send a powerful statement. The coalition originated from grassroots action by Americans working to combat corporatisation. If we ransack the economy even ONE day, it is a very potent signal,” they wrote on their website.
