21st Century Poor People's Campaign

The recent circulation of a video showing an empty Target store has reignited debates on social media. Target, like several other major corporations, recently dismantled its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In the comment section, conservative voices argued that the store was likely filmed at opening hours, before customers had arrived. They may be right, as people of color continue to shop at these chains despite the rollback of DEI efforts.

However, this debate over DEI is just a surface-level distraction from a much deeper issue. For over four centuries, America has been marked by racial conflict—a long-standing feud between Black and white communities. But in the grand scheme, this division serves only to benefit a shared adversary: the economic elite.

The true struggle in America is no longer just about race—it’s about class. The ultra-wealthy, making up less than 1% of the global population, have consolidated unprecedented power. Meanwhile, the middle and working classes—regardless of race, nationality, or background—are footing the bill. Through taxes, labor, and economic policies designed to favor the rich, ordinary people are financing the very systems that oppress them.

Racial animosity has long been weaponized to keep the masses distracted, preventing them from recognizing their shared exploitation. While communities argue over social issues, the wealth gap widens, corporate profits soar, and the cost of living skyrockets. The more we fight each other, the less we challenge those who truly hold the reins of power.

At some point, even conservative Americans who have historically opposed social progress will be forced to confront an uncomfortable truth. As economic pressures mount under the influence of figures like Trump and Musk, they will face a critical question: Do they continue to harbor resentment toward Black and brown communities, or do they unite against the real source of their struggles? If they refuse to see the bigger picture, they will continue to suffer alongside the very people they’ve been conditioned to oppose.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood this reality. His Poor People’s Campaign was a direct challenge to economic injustice, demanding human rights and dignity for the poor across racial lines. In the spring of 1968, thousands of people—Black, white, Native American, Asian American, and Hispanic—gathered in Washington, D.C., to push for systemic change. They set up a protest camp on the National Mall, advocating for policies that would lift all marginalized communities out of poverty.

King's vision was clear: economic justice could only be achieved through multiracial solidarity. He recognized that poverty was not just a racial issue but a systemic one, designed to keep power concentrated in the hands of the elite. His ability to organize, inspire, and mobilize terrified those in power, leaving them no choice but to silence him permanently.

Today, his message is more relevant than ever. The same forces that opposed King’s movement continue to manipulate society, using division as a tool to maintain control. The question is whether we will finally learn from history or continue allowing ourselves to be pawns in a game rigged against us.

The coming years will force a reckoning. If we fail to acknowledge our common struggle, we will all suffer—regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation. But if we unite, as King urged, we might finally dismantle the systems designed to keep us apart.

The choice is ours.