Da'Jae Allen 
Nothing brings people together like a shared struggle. In this case, that struggle would be watching the government fumble basic services while the cost of living continuously skyrockets. But hey, at least we can still exercise our “freedom” by choosing which overpriced essentials to overpay for! On February 28th, however, millions plan to do the unthinkable. Buy nothing.
The People’s Union USA is pushing for an economic blackout this Friday, February 28th. This Union is a grassroots organization claiming not to be political, but to be “a movement of people, unionizing to take back control of our economy, government, and future of our country”.
Doing nothing changes nothing.
The idea is that the people of America will not spend money on giant corporations. No fast food, no Amazon, and no gas for one whole day, 12:00 am-11:59 pm. Social media users suggest that people specifically boycott companies ending their DEI programs on the tail end of Donald Trump’s executive order. The founder of The People’s Union USA, John Schwarz, has been on the organization’s Instagram page encouraging people to participate, insisting that we show the government that “they don’t run this economy, we do”.
Those critical of the consuming boycott, are worried about its probability of effectiveness. The facts are, that the entirety of America isn’t going to participate this Friday, and this pause on consumerism will only last 24 hours. Rightfully so, people are worried if these factors will inhibit billion-dollar corporations from feeling any financial repercussions. Schwarz acknowledges and agrees with this, but says the blackout is about two things: Allowing people to unite with each other and putting on a show of resistance.
Bryce Williams, a biology major at Illinois Wesleyan University says, “I’m going to make sure I don’t ‘need’ to buy anything that day so that I can support a cause that I believe is important.” The People’s Union also has plans to put together another set of boycotts the following week, that will have specific companies being boycotted for extended periods of time, continuing to disrupt the economic flow.
For some people, this boycott won’t be a realistic option. Whether it’s needing medicine or something vital for a child, there are valid reasons for not participating. Madison Clarke, a legal communications major at Howard University, says that even though she supports the idea, she won’t be participating. “As a college student preparing for upcoming travel, my access to supplies is already limited,” says. Clarke mentions that “practical needs” can get in the way of fully committing to something like this.
No, this won’t bankrupt any major companies, but our efforts are still important. It is about reminding these companies and ourselves who has the real power, and what we can do when we work together. Whether this is the spark that ignites revolutionary change or just a symbolic middle finger to some extremely unchecked corporate greed, one thing is clear: Doing nothing changes nothing. If you have been looking for some kind of way to push back on corporations and governments who don’t have your best interest at heart, this is something attainable you can do. So, on February 28th, the choice is yours. Keep the machine running, or hit pause and see what happens.
By Da’Jae Allen, Sophomore, Howard University
Instagram: @dajae.10
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