Target is not welcome at the Twin Cities Pride Festival this year despite being a longtime sponsor, organizers say, because the company recently ended some of its DEI programs.

Target is the latest US company to retreat from policies designed to enhance racial and ethnic representation in the workplace.

One of the country’s largest retailers said it will end the diversity, equity and inclusion goals it sets in three-year cycles and curtail racial equity initiatives.

The retailer's decision met with notable criticism, with some noting the company's reputation for inclusiveness has helped it attract a younger, more diverse consumer base.

Owners of brands that were championed by Target before it rolled back DEI efforts say a boycott would harm their brands, and encouraged customers to support them.

Anger at Target surged after it abandoned DEI programs, but Black-owned businesses that struggled to earn shelf space urged critics to focus on buying minority-owned companies' products instead.

Activists are calling for a nationwide boycott of Target stores following the company's decision​ to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Several Black founders and brand owners are speaking out amid calls for a boycott of major retailers rolling back DEI.