A nationwide economic boycott on Feb. 28 aims to disrupt corporate power and government influence, with activists urging Americans to halt spending and support small businesses instead.
Many Americans are answering the call to change their shopping behaviors to remind the government and corporations of where they get their power: from the American people.
Friday, Feb. 28: Complete Economic Blackout
This Friday, Feb. 28’s “24-hour economic boycott” calls on Americans to avoid online or in-store purchases from corporations.
February 28, the 24-hour economic blackout: No Amazon, no Walmart, no fast food, no gas, not a single unnecessary dollar spent … for one day, we are going to finally turn the tables.
John Schwarz (@theonecalledjai)
Organized by The People’s Union USA—a grassroots group “dedicated to economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform,” according to its website—and endorsed online by celebrities like John Leguizamo, Stephen King and Bette Midler, the boycott calls for Americans to avoid buying nonessential items (including gas and fast food) and major retailers. For essential purchases like food and medicine, The People’s Union encourages shoppers to buy only with cash (avoiding credit and debit cards) from small or local businesses.
“If you have automatic payments linked up to your bank account of course, we’re not talking about disrupting your life,” said John Schwarz, the group’s founder. “But do not go out and shop at any big, major store—if you have to, go to the local pizza place, the small local boutique.”
By disrupting the economy, Friday’s economic boycott hopes to point out ties between the government and corporations and remind them that their money comes from American consumers of all classes and backgrounds. “For one day we show them who really holds the power,” read the online instructions. “If they don’t listen (they won’t), we make the next blackout longer. (We will.)”
While official messaging from The People’s Union suggests a boycott of all major retailers, other posts suggested targeted boycotts of retailers that have ended diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, including Coca-Cola, Ford, Chipotle, Amazon, McDonald’s, Meta, Target and Walmart.
Ongoing and Immediate Spending Protests
After Friday’s spending pause, The People’s Union is planning week-long protests against specific retailers dialing back DEI initiatives under Trump: Amazon from March 7–14, Nestlé from March 21–28 and Walmart from April 7–13.
In an unaffiliated protest, Black faith leaders are also calling for a 40-day “fast” (boycott) of Target during Lent, starting on March 5 (Ash Wednesday), to protest the corporation’s slashes to DEI programs.
Latino leaders are also calling for ongoing spending freezes in protest of “the rollback on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in healthcare and other professional fields, as well as the growing fear and marginalization of our immigrant communities,” according to the Latino Freeze Movement, self-described as “committed to showing the value that Latinos, other minorities, and allies have in the United States.” (Click here to see the list of companies the Latino Freeze Movement recommends people support and the companies to avoid.)
Social media posts using hashtags like #LatinoFreezeMovement and #LatinoFreeze encourage, “Hold your money.”
Consider shopping at local stores, swap meets, farmer market’s, second hand stores, trading, etc.
Latino Freeze Movement
A little over a month into Trump’s presidency, polls show the president’s approval rating slipping across party lines. On Presidents’ Day, tens of thousands of people across the country joined “No Kings on Presidents’ Day” and “Not My Presidents’ Day” marches to protest the administration’s attacks on democracy. Protesters holding signs with phrases like, “Who Elected Elon? Oh Right—No One!” called out the unprecedented overreach of Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Musk as its head.
One target of Trump and Musk’s government cuts has been the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which protects consumers from unethical financial practices such as predatory lending rates for cars and home mortgages. According to DNC chair Ken Martin, “Let’s be honest: The only reason a person in power would shut down America’s consumer watchdog is because that person is corrupt—and they want to do corrupt things—and they don’t like when anybody stops them from being corrupt. Trump and Musk are billionaire scam artists.”
Next up on the Republican chopping block: Medicaid. House Republicans’ fiscal year 2025 proposal would cut almost $1 trillion from the program in order to fund Trump’s tax cuts. Medicaid serves 24 percent of Americans, or about 72 million people nationwide. Low-income voters have become one of the most important parts of Trump’s base; Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to win the poorest third of the electorate since the 1960s.
