Massachusetts recently became the 18th state to enact the CROWN Act. Over the summer, Massachusetts signed The Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act into law, making racial discrimination against a person’s natural hair illegal. This provides protection for more than 500K Black citizens in the state against race-based hair discrimination. Previously, BIPOC students and workers have been targeted and punished simply for wearing their hair natural or in braids. According to the 2021 Dove CROWN Research Study for Girls, “45% of Black school girls ages 5 to 18 have experienced hair bias and discrimination” and another Dove study found, “Black women were 1.5 times more likely to have reported having been sent home or know of a Black woman sent home from the workplace because of her hair.” YPulse’s Representation in Action trend research shows Gen Z is the most diverse gen to date and they’re demanding inclusion from brands as well as the places they learn and work. (Insider)
