About Us
About Us
Who We Are
Not On Our Watch is a grassroots movement born out of a necessity to hold corporations accountable for abandoning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As executive orders and policies erode hard-fought progress, Black and Brown communities across the country face increasing challenges. This initiative, based in Birmingham, Alabama, seeks to mobilize the collective economic power of marginalized communities to demand corporate accountability and prioritize inclusive practices.
Not On Our Watch is inspired by the spirit and success of historical boycotts such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, leveraging economic power as a tool for justice and equity. We aim to disrupt business-as-usual for corporations that turn their backs on DEI, while uplifting businesses that remain committed to fostering inclusion and equity.
Not On Our Watch stands in solidarity with Rev. Al Sharpton’s 1-Day Economic Boycott BlackOut on February 28th, Senator Nina Turner’s We Are Somebody boycott that began on February 1st, and Pastor Jamal Bryant’s 40-Day Fast (targetfast.org) that starts on March 5th. Together, this represents a collaboration of the Black Radical and Prophetic Traditions to fight anti-Blackness. A politician, a pastor, and now a grassroots movement—uniting to continue the struggle for economic justice.
Mission Statement
To empower Black and Brown communities to resist systemic discrimination by leveraging economic power, promoting accountability, and advocating for corporate policies that prioritize equity and inclusion.
Vision Statement
A society where corporations champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring justice and equitable opportunities for all.
Goals and Objectives
Corporate Accountability:
Demand the reinstatement and expansion of DEI programs by targeted corporations.
Economic Justice:
Promote alternative businesses that prioritize DEI and align with the values of marginalized communities.
Public Awareness:
Raise awareness about the importance of DEI programs and the consequences of corporate abandonment.
Mass Community Engagement:
Mobilize 100,000 Alabamians to pledge their commitment to the boycott and spread awareness through their networks.
Faith & Justice Intersection:
Engage Black churches and faith-based communities as pillars of economic justice.
F.A.Q.
Just like Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and the Black clergy led the Birmingham movement, we’re calling on faith leaders today to stand up. Pastors, ministers, and churches must take a bold stand. The Black church has always been the moral and strategic center of our movements. That hasn’t changed. We are calling on faith communities to say: NOT ON OUR WATCH!
The tactics are the same: if a business refuses to respect our dignity, we refuse to spend our dollars there. In 1963, businesses were forced to desegregate under financial pressure. Today, corporations abandoning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) must face the same economic consequences. This is about more than a boycott—it’s about economic justice.
One of the most powerful lessons is that economic disruption works. Birmingham’s business leaders didn’t desegregate out of kindness; they did it because the boycott was costing them money. Dr. King wrote from his jail cell that ‘freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.’ We are demanding economic justice today, just as they did in 1963
April is a historic month for Birmingham. This is when Dr. King, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, and countless foot soldiers waged one of the most successful economic resistance campaigns in U.S. history. They knew that hitting segregationists in their pockets would force change. That’s exactly what Not On Our Watch is doing today—using economic withdrawal as a strategy for justice.
