Entrepreneur Kiara Imani Williams claims she was dropped from Target on short notice.
Williams is an attorney with a decade of experience in entertainment law, a writer, and the co-founder of the card game LikeU, which is designed to spark conversations among family and friends. LikeU made its way onto Target shelves during a period when many companies were pledging to support diverse brands as a result of George Floyd being murdered at the hands of police brutality.
Williams believed Target’s commitment was genuine and would endure, but has been mistaken.
“LikeU cards were born out of the conversations that emerged after George Floyd’s murder—a time when so many people were searching for ways to connect, to listen, and to understand,” Williams said in an email interview with AFROTECH™. “Target made a pledge to support diverse communities at that moment, and it was that commitment that made me believe they were the right fit. But since then, like many other organizations, they’ve pulled back.”
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Target is among the companies scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Their change in stance has led to the end of a program that provided shelf space for Black-owned and minority-owned businesses.
Target retreated from its three-year DEI goals at the beginning of January 2025. Williams had previously learned from the retailer that their products would no longer be shelved in Target stores beginning in Fall 2024 due to a “change in lineup.”
“There was no big announcement, no conversation—just a quiet removal from stores. And on top of that, I was navigating all of this as a new mom. It was very isolating,” Williams recalled.
Williams made great sacrifices to ensure her products had a chance to win with the retailer. In a TikTok video, she admits she invested her savings into creating “perfect products” for Target shelves. When considering the costs of production, shipping, marketing, and warehousing, William also says she spent more than what was earned. Williams admits that had she been previewed that Target was not committed to diversity, those efforts would have been diffused.
@kiara_imani_will Let’s talk about big retail. Still working on a list for y’all, but this is bigger than 🎯 (tagging @Sienna Sauce this time, another Black owned vendor removed from shelves)
Adding insult to injury, she claims that although Target did state they intended to move some of the Black vendors for Black History Month, it was not clear that they would be required to pay $10,000 to $20,000 to be featured, which was not a feasible payment for some of the Black vendors.
“At first, getting into Target felt like a dream come true—like being invited on an exclusive trip to Italy. It seemed like a major opportunity, a chance to introduce my brand to a wider audience. But once I got there, I realized I had to pay for my own flight, my own food, and my own accommodations,” Williams admits to AFROTECH™. “I didn’t speak the language, and instead of being given a prime seat at the table, I was given a room in the back and told I could pay extra to upgrade.”
She added, “Target provided visibility, sure. But financially? Between production, shipping, marketing, and warehousing costs, we spent more than we made. Many of us were left scrambling, trying to keep up with fees and demands we weren’t fully prepared for. And when the numbers didn’t meet their expectations—numbers that were impossible to hit without real support—our brands were quietly removed.”
@kiara_imani_will For clarity, I’m trusting God to sell our 20,000 units WITHOUT Target. If you’re looking for a family friendly conversation card game head to www.likeucards.com OR just like and share because engagement is support 🥹
With 20,000 units left to sell after being dropped from Target, Williams will now bank on the community’s support. Customers can shop her products by visiting www.likeucards.com. She also plans to expand LikeU into classrooms.
“Even before this happened, I had already started shifting my focus to working with public schools to bring LikeU into classrooms—helping kids build critical thinking skills, confidence, and compassion,” she mentioned. “Given the state of the world and the immense load on our teachers, that’s where our impact is needed most, and that’s where we’ll continue to grow.”
As for whether she believes shoppers should continue to give their dollars to Target, Williams admits she does not want to police people’s spending power but says she will be boycotting. Rev. Jamal Bryant is leading a 40-day consumer boycott against Target due to their reversal in DEI policies, which started on March 5.
“I’m not here to tell people what they should or shouldn’t do—I respect everyone’s right to make their own decisions. There are several incredible female founders still at Target who have been nothing but lovely and supportive, even though some of them have different ideas about the best path forward. I respect that. We’re all navigating this in our own way,” Williams noted. “But for me? I’m boycotting. Not because I’m bitter, but because I want to put my money and energy into spaces where diverse communities are valued and included, not just Black dollars. And if you want an up-and-coming one-stop-shop for Black business, download the app BLAPP.”
