A grassroots online campaign to disrupt the nation’s spending habits has gained enough momentum to catch the attention of news outlets around the country.

The activist group The People’s Union USA has been orchestrating a 24-hour boycott of major retailers beginning at 12:01 this morning and lasting until 11:59 p.m. tonight. The group, founded by activist John Schwarz, started the crusade as pushback against price hikes and rising living costs.

Participants are encouraged to avoid major retailers, fast food and credit cards during the “economic blackout,’’ and to purchase essentials from small, local businesses. Though the financial impact of boycotts is often limited, there seems to be a growing interest on social media in using them to promote change.

The campaign comes a month after the “No Buy 2025” movement, which the Wall Street Journal said launched a trend of consumers pledging to buy as little as possible. The Journal reported that, “Many are cutting back on nonessentials to save money and pay off credit cards and loans. Others are focused on using up existing makeup and skin care products before buying more.’’

The People’s Union USA’s drive joins a growing list of activists urging economic reform through boycotts, not just to demand lower costs of living but also in response to President Donald Trump’s vow to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in businesses around the country.

Some of those companies –including WalMart, Target, Amazon, BestBuy, McDonald’s and others – announced they would comply and drop their DEI initiatives, drawing the ire of many on social media and in the political arena. The People’s Union USA and the activist Reverend Al Sharpton are among those calling for peaceful protests through boycotts.

“This is how we change the game – not by waiting for politicians, not by hoping they’ll do the right thing, but by finally taking action ourselves,’’ Schwarz says on an Instagram video that has been widely shared.

WalMart is among those consistently appearing on boycott lists, though many of them target all big corporations including those who acquiesced to White House DEI demands.

At the WalMart Super Center at 3031 Memorial Pkwy SW near Drake Ave., front-line employees said they had not received instructions related to boycotts and the floor manager said any comment would have to come from the corporation.

The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber likewise responded to an email with no comment.

One of the groups that protested against Trump’s agenda on President’s Day at Big Spring Park – Purple People Resistance Alabama – advertised in support of the economic blackout on Facebook. Ironically, Facebook/Meta is among those on economic protestor’s hit list.

Economist Robert Reich, a professor at Cal-Berkeley who worked in three presidential administrations, is one of the more visible supporters of the blackout.

“The purpose is to send a clear message: We have the power,’’ he wrote on his Substack. “We don’t have to accept corporate monopolies. We don’t have to live with corporate money corrupting our politics. We don’t have to accept more tax cuts for billionaires. We don’t have to pay more of our hard-earned cash to Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg or the other billionaire oligarchs.’’

He added, “No Amazon, no Walmart, no Best Buy, no Target, no Disney, no Google, no Facebook. Don’t spend on fast food, major retailers, or gas. Avoid using credit or debit cards to make nonessential purchases. Buy essentials such as medicine, food, and emergency supplies, of course, but make those purchases at small, local businesses. Consider this a test run. If lots of people participate, I’m sure a longer one will be organized.’’

The People’s Union USA is sponsoring these weeklong single-company boycotts: March 7–14 (Amazon), March 21–28 (Nestlé), April 7–14 (Walmart), and April 21–28 (General Mills), along with a second Economic Blackout on April 18.

An unaffiliated group of Black faith leaders, led by Atlanta-based Pastor Jamal Bryant, is promoting a 40-day ‘fast’—or boycott—of Target to protest its rollback of DEI initiatives. The boycott will run during Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 5.