Reflections on the Not-One-Dime Boycott

by Sophia N. De Castro

I chose to participate in the Not-One-Dime boycott over Thanksgiving weekend. Money talks, said Pastor Rena during Discover Group last month. I wanted my money to make a statement and say something else. Something different. That our current reality is overwhelming. That the Black community is suffering greatly. That they are not in this fight alone. That it is unacceptable how many Black American lives have been unjustly taken. That honoring their lives is MORE important than the high of an amazing bargain.

I invited my husband Chris to join me. It was a counter-cultural choice for him to make since Black Friday deals were a source of bonding growing up in his family. It wasn’t a choice to exclude family members, but to take a stand as a couple. We are still figuring out how to steward our resources well as a young family. Chris chose into the boycott with me. During Thanksgiving week, we resisted and ignored Black Friday deals. The airports were filled with Christmas consumerism cheer. I was surprised how enticing the TV ads, online promos and paper catalogs were, once I chose to actively resist. The “likes” on my social media posts about participating were also a surprise. I couldn’t believe that people I considered more conservative, such as my father-in-law and friends outside of the Bay Area, were agreeing with my small, meaningful choice.

Erina’s sermon on white supremacy was powerful, and also hard to stomach. It can feel daunting when thinking about how to take action. I tend to think I need to be an expert first before joining in. The Not-One-Dime boycott felt like an accessible action step for my family and I. We are still learning how to take a stand for God’s love and justice in our daily lives.