FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

DOVE AND THE CROWN COALITION COMMEMORATES THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF NEW YORK PASSING THE CROWN ACT

#CROWNDAY #PASSTHECROWN

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 17, 2020 – On July 12, 2019, New York became the second state to sign The CROWN Act and the first to put the law into effect statewide.  On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, Dove and the CROWN Coalition will celebrate the anniversary of this historic triumph with a 90-minute virtual event. On the heels of a successful celebration of the July 3rd inaugural National CROWN Day, the CROWN Coalition will continue to commemorate the historic legislation that bans race-based hair discrimation in the work place and K-12 public and charter schools. 

“Dove and the CROWN Coalition have accomplished so much over the past year, and as we continue the work to ensure the protection of Black women, children and men from hair discrimination, a form of racial discrimination.  While there’s more work to be done, we must also pause to celebrate our victories along the way,” stated Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever.  “In New York The CROWN Act became effective immediately after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it into law, and we are excited to commemorate such a momentous occasion with this celebration.”

The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, and Color Of Change, is supported by 64 additional organizations in its work against race-based hair discrimination. The newest member of the coalition is New York’s own YWCA, White Plains & Central Westchester, an organization committed to racial justice and human rights. They are excited to join the coalition and be a part of this special New York celebratory event. 

“This is an exciting moment in time to celebrate women of color and put an end to years of discrimination against natural hair textures,” says Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA.  “No one should be asked to hide what nature has gifted us, and as the Crown Act continues to fold into all layers of society, no one will. I commend The Crown Coalition for leading this charge, and California, New York, New Jersey and the other four states for recognizing the importance of this issue to raise the confidence and pride of women of color. As we celebrate this monumental occasion on July 21st, I look forward to many more celebrations as other states, and eventually, our entire Nation become one on this important initiative.”

For more information on The CROWN Act and the CROWN Coalition, please visit www.thecrownact.com. 

Background:

The CROWN Act, which stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture.  First introduced in California in January 2019 by Senator Holly J. Mitchell (District 30) as Senate Bill 188, The CROWN Act expanded the definition of race in the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and Education Code, to ensure protection against race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and in K-12 public and charter schools. The inaugural CROWN Act was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in California on July 3, 2019 and went into effect January 1, 2020.  

New York was the second state to introduce and pass The CROWN Act under the leadership of Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) and Senator Jamaal Bailey (Bronx, Westchester).  Governor Andrew Cuomo signed The CROWN Act into law in the state of New York on July 12, 2019, deeming the legislation effective immediately.  New Jersey was the third state to enact The CROWN Act in 2019 when Governor Phil Murphy signed The CROWN Act into law on December 19, 2019, on the one-year anniversary of the wrestling match where New Jersey high school wrestler Andrew Johnson's locs were forcibly cut off.  

As of July 16, 2020, a total of seven (7) states have passed the CROWN Act to provide legal protections against race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools:

• The CROWN Act is law in 7 states (CA, NY, NJ, VA, CO, WA, MD) and 2 municipalities (Cincinnati, OH and Montgomery County, MD)

• Nine (9) additional states are considering the CROWN Act and have either pre-filed, filed or formally stated an intent to introduce their own anti-hair discrimination bills, including Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.  

• Of note, the CROWN Act was introduced in fifteen (15) additional states but didn’t move through the legislature before the legislative sessions ended (Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, , Missouri, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin).  We will work to support reintroducing the CROWN Act. 

• Federal legislation was introduced in December, 2019 by Rep. Cedric Richmond (Louisana) and Sen. Cory Booker (New Jersey)

The CROWN Coalition

The CROWN Coalition is an alliance of organizations, including founding members Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center on Law and Poverty, that are dedicated to the advancement of anti-discrimination legislation across the United States.  With the help of a diverse array of organizations in the social justice, business, legal, and education sectors, the CROWN Coalition has had tremendous success elevating the public narrative around this important issue and inspiring a movement to end hair bias and discrimination.  

Supporting members of the CROWN Coalition include:

• The CROWN Act is law in 7 states (CA, NY, NJ, VA, CO, WA, MD) and 2 municipalities (Cincinnati, OH and Montgomery County, MD)

• Nine (9) additional states are considering the CROWN Act and have either pre-filed, filed or formally stated an intent to introduce their own anti-hair discrimination bills, including Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

• Of note, the CROWN Act was introduced in fifteen (15) additional states but didn’t move through the legislature before the legislative sessions ended (Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). We will work to support reintroducing the CROWN Act.

• Federal legislation was introduced in December, 2019 by Rep. Cedric Richmond and Sen. Cory Booker

The CROWN Coalition The CROWN Coalition is an alliance of organizations, including founding members Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center on Law and Poverty, that are dedicated to the advancement of anti-discrimination legislation across the United States. With the help of a diverse array of organizations in the social justice, business, legal, and education sectors, the CROWN Coalition has had tremendous success elevating the public narrative around this important issue and inspiring a movement to end hair bias and discrimination.

Supporting members of the CROWN Coalition include:

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www.thecrownact.com