Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice, a forum for events and workshops on the intersections of faith and policy, announced Nov. 6 that it will participate in a faith-based campaign calling on communities to avoid Amazon purchases.
No Amazon for Advent invites communities to minimize spending or completely boycott Amazon services to refocus the Christian tradition of Advent on faith and reflection instead of corporate consumerism. The campaign focuses on Amazon as its main corporate target, citing the multinational technology company’s “exploitative” labor practices, donations to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, and profiteering from government contracts U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Jim Simpson, the Center on Faith and Justice’s executive director, said the campaign comes at a crucial political moment in which corporations such as Amazon play a critical role.
“Historically, we’ve seen that boycotts have been some of the most impactful means of voicing dissent against broken and unjust systems,” Simpson told The Hoya. “So we were trying to think about how, in this moment, when we are facing the threats of rising authoritarianism and democratic backsliding — where are some of the pillars of support for authoritarianism that we felt we had the ability to put pressure on?”
Simpson said another key purpose of the campaign was to empower individuals to reclaim agency amid a polarizing climate.
“A lot of folks are really struggling — they are seeing the threats we are facing to our democracy and to the lives and livelihoods and safety of people in their communities, and they don’t see a clear way that they can make an impact or stand out in some sort of way,” Simpson said. “And so we were thinking about what could be a truly impactful opportunity for people to take action.”
Isabella Alvayero (SFS ’29), a first-year student interested in studying consumerism’s impact on marginalized communities, said she appreciated seeing a commitment to fair labor practices on campus.
“I think the campaign is interesting because it is a campaign meant for students led by a university center, whereas other campaigns on campus like the Starbucks boycott are student run,” Alvayero wrote to The Hoya. “It’s one of the few movements on campus led by university efforts that seem to truly hold Jesuit values, and I am curious to see if the university will acknowledge the movement taking place in response to Amazon’s exploitation whether it be with its workers or elsewhere.”
The campaign allows individuals to choose to fully boycott Amazon, or engage in a “buycott,” in which they intentionally purchase from alternative businesses to minimize their reliance on Amazon. Other options include donating to organizations on behalf of others and sharing the initiative with friends.
Georgetown students have signed onto the campaign, participating in a variety of forms.
Katie Kolodziej (GRD ’27), a graduate assistant at the Center on Faith and Justice, said she is boycotting Amazon to both reclaim her agency and push back on corporations she finds unethical.
“I am participating in the boycott because I want to be more intentional about my consumption, especially around the holidays and the Advent season,” Kolodziej wrote to The Hoya. “Amazon is the biggest symbol of consumption right now and also participates in many harmful actions that do not align with my values.”
Kolodziej added that, instead of purchasing through Amazon, she intends to support small businesses in her neighborhood.
“I love having small businesses in my neighborhood and have seen how they can be an important part of the neighborhood community,” Kolodziej said. “So I am instead focusing on redirecting my spending to those community based small businesses.”
Simpson said he hopes the campaign encourages people to consider alternative forms of purchasing.
“In some ways, more importantly than where we’re not spending our money, I think it’s even more important where we are spending our money,” Simpson said. “We’re really trying to encourage people to pare down their giving to really break out of this consumer-driven cycle — to think about alternative ways and means of gifting things.”
Kolodziej said initiatives such as No Amazon for Advent provide a space for people to unite in collective action.
“Initiatives like these through Georgetown are important,” Kolodziej said. “I’m grateful to have a space to come together with classmates, faculty and other community members to feel empowered to engage in a boycott, practice collective action and make a greater impact.”
