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Two black women with different natural hairstyles looking at art
Two black women with different natural hairstyles looking at art
Photo by Flow Clark from Unsplash
Life

The CROWN Act: How You Can Help to End Hair Discrimination

Briana Lawimore
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Howard chapter.

For Black people, hair is more than just strands on our heads. In the Black community, hair is a cultural expression of pride, resilience, and determination that extends across the African diaspora. Hairstyles such as locs, afros, cornrows, etc. have a rich history in the Black community; however, society has stigmatized these hairstyles as unkempt and unprofessional. Far too often, Black natural and cultural hairstyles have been subjected to discrimination in the workplace and school. This has resulted in several Black individuals being fired from their jobs, suspended from school, and forced to change or cut their hair to fit a certain standard. In order to ensure that Black people can be their authentic selves in every space they occupy, it is crucial to support legislation like the CROWN Act that works to end race and hair based discrimination.  

In 2019, California State Senator Holly J.Mitchell, the skin care brand Dove, and the CROWN Coalition partnered to create the CROWN Act; a law that aims to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles and textures. CROWN is an acronym that stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. Several members of Congress, Dove, and the CROWN Coalition have worked diligently to advocate for the CROWN Act and end hair discrimination nationwide. In March 2022, the House of Representatives passed the bill for the CROWN Act. Now, the U.S. Senate has to make their decision on the bill. So far, only 19 states have passed the act making it law. In order to fulfill the CROWN Act’s mission, 31 more states need to get the act passed by their senators. To help with this process, citizens can participate in the CROWN Act movement by contacting their state legislators and educating others on the importance of this act. 

Ways To Get Involved With The CROWN Act 

  1. Stay Informed: The CROWN Act’s official website (thecrownact.com) is an extremely useful resource to stay up to date on the latest news regarding the CROWN Act. On this website you can find insightful studies that focus on Black women and children’s experience with hair discrimination, information about upcoming events, and more resources on how to get involved with the movement. 
  1. Sign The Petition: Show your support for the CROWN Act by signing the petition in the link below. Petitions are a great way to demonstrate community strength and support to law makers: https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/help-make-hair-discrimination-illegal
  1. Contact Your State Senator: Now that the bill for the Crown Act lies with the Senate, it is necessary to contact your senator about this law and other changes you want to see happen in the future. You can email your senator using the template in the link below. https://www.thecrownact.com/email-your-senator
  1. Spread The Word: Inform your friends and family about the CROWN Act and its mission to end hair discrimination nationally. Encourage them to sign the petition and contact their senator to make sure that their voices are heard. Also, utilize your social media platforms to share this information with a larger audience. 
Hi, my name is Briana and I am from Philadelphia P.A. I am a senior Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Spanish studying at Howard University. My interests include writing, dancing, and natural hair and skin care.