By Rev. Tashara S. Void
$300,000 is a sizable amount for a church in need of a new roof, HVAC system, or foundational repair. $300,000 is a significant amount for a small business trying to survive rising costs and supply chain delays. $300,000 is a meaningful amount for families struggling with unemployment, medical bills, and the high cost of childcare and education. But let’s put this into perspective. For a membership base of 16 million people, $300,000 amounts to less than $0.01 (one penny) per person. And for a corporation like Target, which earned $106.6 billion in revenue last year, $300,000 is not generosity. It’s strategy.
One percent of Target’s annual revenue exceeds $1,000,000,000 (1 billion). What they gave represents just 0.0003% of their total income, not even close to one percent. Not half. Not a tenth. Just three ten-thousandths of one percent. Simply put, we’re not even worth a full percentage to them. We barely even exist to them. And yet, denominational leaders stood behind pulpits and podiums to proudly announce a new “partnership.” Social media lit up with celebrations, reposts, and press releases. But let’s pause and ask: How much influence can we truly have in a “partnership” where one side contributes 0.0003% and gains access to 16 million hearts, homes, and hashtags?
In scripture, we are reminded of the poor widow who gave two copper coins – “all she had to live on” – while the wealthy gave from their surplus (Mark 12:41–44). Jesus declared her gift greater because it was sacrificial. Target’s gift is not sacrificial. It is strategic. A calculated seed sown with full expectation of return, specifically, a return on Black consumer dollars. If they are willing to sow $300,000, it’s because they believe it will yield a significant harvest from a portion of the 16 million. They understand the power of our dollar. Do we?
Let us not be deceived. The influence of $300,000 is relative. In a small pond, it looks like a wave. But in the ocean of corporate capital, it’s barely a ripple. And when that ripple is used to purchase public favor, distract from larger justice movements, or create the illusion of equity. It becomes a tool of control.
Let us not be mocked. The attempt to derail the movement has begun. This isn’t about whether $300,000 can help and is beneficial. The real question is what it costs us in return. Because this time, 16 million people weren’t sold to the highest bidder. They were sold to the one who offered – the one who showed up holding a check.
