A call that’s spreading along social media platforms and other information sources comes from People’s Union USA for Americans. 

The organization is calling for a movement to not spend anything online or in-store and to not use credit cards for 24 hours on Friday Feb. 28 in order to disrupt the economic order and “take back control of our economy, government and future of our country,” states the consumer activist group. 

Some Valley residents already aware of the boycott, have planned to stay in and not consume any goods or services on Friday in protest to the widespread federal cuts of vital government programs initiated by Trump and Elon Musk.

“The slash and burn of government workers and our civil rights is unconstitutional,” said Tamara Werner of Tempe a self-described student activist.  “I saw the boycott information on TikTok and I plan on making sure I don’t spend anything on Friday. If everyone does this—and we may have to do this while the dictator Trump is in office, but however long it takes, we will make ourselves heard.”

Several other students near the main campus at Arizona State University joined in support of the Friday boycott and told Northeast Valley News they plan on abstaining from consuming on Feb. 28 and will continue to participate in the effort to bring further and ongoing attention to boycotts.

While it’s debatable how much of an impact the boycott may actually have on companies, it’s becoming increasingly clear that much of America is concerned with the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s slashing of federal agency workers and accessing public information governmental departments. The students gathered were determined to follow the boycotts and further calls for specific boycotts of companies and corporations. 

The key facts of this boycott as reported by Forbes include:

“The People’s Union boycott calls for no spending on fast food, gas or at major retailers – “No Amazon, No Walmart, No Best Buy” – beginning at midnight on Feb. 27 through midnight Feb. 28.

Purchases deemed essential, i.e. food, medicine, emergency supplies, are permitted but only in cash and with small, local businesses.

After the single-day spending pause, People’s Union plans week-long protests against specific retailers, including Amazon Mar. 7-14, Nestlé Mar. 21-28 and Walmart Apr. 7-13.

In an unaffiliated protest, Black faith leaders are calling for a 40-day “fast” or boycott of Target to protest its dialing back DEI initiatives to run during Lent starting on Ash Wednesday, Mar. 5.

The People’s Union claims not to be a protest or political party, but a “movement of people unionizing” to expose corruption in the economic system and resist efforts by businesses, government and the “wealthy elite” to exploit workers, suppress wages and “keep the majority of us in a constant state of struggle.” 

The Feb. 28 Economic Blackout is the group’s opening salvo to disrupt and reform the American economic system from the ground up.

The People’s Union economic blackout and the 40-day Target fast are tapping into a groundswell of dissatisfaction in the direction of the country after the last election. 

Many object to actions taken by the Trump administration to abolish DEI and put power over federal government spending and government workers’ jobs into the hands of Elon Musk and the DOGE agenda. This movement points back to the success of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama in the 1950s and the Civil Rights protests of the 1960s.

This is not just another protest. This is not just another moment that fades into the background. This is the beginning of something unstoppable. For too long, they have dictated the rules. They have rigged the system. They have lined their pockets while we work harder, we struggle more, and we fight for the bare minimum. They keep us divided. They’ve kept us distracted and they keep us desperate, because that’s how they have stayed in power. But on February 28, we make it clear we do not have to play by their rules anymore. For one day, we stop everywhere, no Amazon, no Walmart, no fast food, no gas, no major corporations, nothing. For one day, we remind them who actually runs this economy and when they don’t listen, because they’re going to pretend they don’t hear us, we will go harder, because this is just our warning shot,” People’s Union’s Schwarz said in an Instagram post.”