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Raumesh Akbari
Senator | Memphis, TN

Preventing Discrimination against the Natural Hairstyles of Black Women

Idea Category: Equity & Opportunity, Jobs and Entrepreneurship

Problem

For generations, black hair has been unfairly deemed "unprofessional" in public settings like classrooms and the workplace. The study, published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, titled "The Natural Hair Bias in Job Recruitment," identified that wearing natural hairstyles has a negative impact on black women’s career opportunities. For example, black women with natural hairstyles were unjustly regarded as less professional, and were less likely to be suggested for a job interview than black women with hairstyles typically worn by white women.

Solution

The CROWN Act, sponsored by Sen. Raumesh Akbari, stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," and would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against natural and protective hairstyles like braids, locs, and twists. Any employees who believe their right to wear their hair naturally has been violated may submit a complaint with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The bill was approved by the Tennessee legislature, making it the first statehouse in the rural South to pass legislation barring discrimination towards natural hairstyles.