Your morning routine may look a bit different today.
No Starbucks run. No Amazon orders. No filling up the gas tank unless absolutely necessary. Why? Because today, February 28, marks Economic Blackout Day – a nationwide 24-hour pause on consumer spending aimed at demonstrating the collective purchasing power of communities ready to be heard.
As I scrolled through my social feeds this week, I couldn’t miss the growing momentum. “No shopping on February 28 unless it’s Black-owned,” read post after post. What began as whispers among grassroots organizers has swelled into a movement that’s impossible to ignore.
The People’s Union USA, the grassroots organization behind this initiative, makes no secret about its aims. “For generations our families worked, sacrificed, and fought to build a better future, yet here we stand, still waiting,” the group stated in a recent Instagram video. “We the people will not wait any longer. We stand in solidarity to honor the past and carve a new path for the future.”
At its core, this economic boycott is about power – who has it and how we reclaim it. By redirecting or withholding our dollars for just one day, we’re sending a clear message to major corporations: we determine your profits, not the other way around.
While many are familiar with the power of protest marches and social media campaigns, economic resistance represents a different kind of collective action – one that speaks directly to bottom lines and quarterly earnings reports.
For Black Americans particularly, this boycott resonates with a long history of economic activism. From the Montgomery Bus Boycott to Operation Breadbasket, our community has repeatedly leveraged economic withdrawal as a tool for change. Today’s action stands on those shoulders while addressing contemporary concerns.
John Schwarz, known as “J,” who founded The People’s Union USA on February 3, has emphasized that this movement transcends typical political divisions. In a social media video posted February 4, he called for this “day of economic resistance” to demonstrate that people “have the power.”
This boycott arrives amid a national conversation about diversity initiatives, with several major companies scaling back their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Meanwhile, the current administration under President Trump has moved to abolish federal DEI programs.
Yet Schwarz insists the movement isn’t focused on any single individual – neither Trump nor billionaire Elon Musk, who now oversees the Department of Government Efficiency. Instead, as stated on their website, they’re “dedicated to economic resistance, government accountability, and corporate reform” with a goal of uniting Americans “against the corruption and greed that has kept us struggling for decades.”
So what exactly does participation look like? For today, it means avoiding major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. It means skipping fast food outlets and gas stations when possible. For essentials that can’t wait, participants are encouraged to seek out Black-owned alternatives.
The movement recognizes that complete abstention might not be feasible for everyone. Basic necessities remain the exception. But even a partial reduction in spending can contribute to the message.
What makes this approach particularly powerful is its accessibility. Not everyone can attend a protest march or has a large social media platform. But most of us make purchasing decisions daily. By temporarily redirecting those decisions, we participate in a form of protest that requires no special skills or connections – just solidarity.
The economic impact of Black spending power can’t be overstated. According to Nielsen, Black consumers wield about $1.6 trillion in annual buying power. When we decide collectively where to direct those dollars – or temporarily withhold them – businesses notice.
Critics may question whether a single day can truly effect change. The organizers appear to have anticipated this skepticism. Today’s boycott isn’t presented as a one-time event but the beginning of a sustained campaign. If demands aren’t met, “we make the next blackout longer,” organizers have stated. Already, another nationwide economic blackout is scheduled for March 28.