What You Can Do

The terms of the #BlackOutBlackFriday boycott are simple. This holiday season, we’re asking you to:

1) Boycott big-box retailers and corporations.

These include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • National restaurant chains
  • National supermarket chains

2) Purchase from small, local, minority-owned businesses and small online businesses instead.

Check out the links below to find small businesses you can support this holiday season.

101 Independently-Owned Black Businesses to Support on Black Friday
36 Black-Owned Etsy Stores for Black Friday
Creative Black Women You Can Support On Cyber Monday

3) Purchase ONLY necessities during the holiday buying season.

“Necessities” include:

  • Day-to-day items needed for grooming and hygiene
  • Gasoline
  • Food that can be cooked or prepped at home
  • Electronic devices vital to businesses and personal communication.

Whenever possible, purchase these items from small or local businesses, or from Black-/minority-owned businesses in your area. For instance, if you know of a small hardware store that sells the kind of cleaning supplies you need, make your purchase there instead of Wal-Mart. For meals, shop a farmer’s market if there is one nearby.

4) Boycott the purchase of non-essential, high price retail items.

These include:

  • Video games
  • New clothing and accessories
  • New toys
  • New electronic devices
  • New vehicles
  • Entertainment, unless the entertainment has to do with justice (e.g. — has a social commentary as its subject matter. Hunger Games, yes. Horrible Bosses 2, no.)

We know this part may be difficult, especially if gift-giving is a large part of your holiday season. We encourage you to use this time to talk to your family about the importance of social equality, and how speaking with your dollar is a powerful way to affect change.

5) Lobby big retailers to #StandWithJustice.

We won’t spend a dime with a large corporation until they’ve demonstrated their commitment to equal justice for all. Companies can show us this commitment by donating supplies to protesters, contributing funds to equal justice organizations, and supporting the families of the police brutality victims.