The first day of our new year will be a day of celebration for many people. The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act has been in the works for quite a while, and Jan. 1, 2022, will be its first day as law in Oregon.
The act in question is aimed to provide protections in Oregon workplaces and public schools for Black people regarding their hairstyles. Braids, twists, locs, protective hairstyles, headwraps, and accessories were previously allowed or banned in workplaces at the employer’s discretion — this will soon no longer be the case.
While this is good news for many Black Oregonians who have suffered or risk suffering from discrimination due to their hairstyles, there’s still work to be done, according to those who’ve labored to make this happen.
The work in question involves nailing down definitions in state laws and policies, as well as educating Oregonians on what’s changing and making them aware of the bill.
Forward Together, a major group behind the CROWN Act, is leading the educational struggle in Portland. According to OPB, a recent canvassing event they held saw members knocking on doors in Northeast Portland to spread awareness.
In addition to everyday citizens, Forward Together is making a point of spreading the word to hairstylists and barbers. As they see people about their hair daily, they’re seen as one of the best ways to spread the word.
As for education, rural areas of Oregon may prove to be more of a struggle. In many rural Oregon counties, the number of Black students is minimal, meaning many students and teachers have very little interaction with or knowledge of Black hair.
LaNicia Duke of Tillamook County is helping to spread the word in small communities.
“We will be asking school districts, who may have less than 10 Black kids in their entire school district, to be worried about this CROWN Act law, without explaining why,” Duke told OPB.
While it can be a frustrating conversation, it’s one that needs to happen — especially in communities that may have little direct interaction with the CROWN Act.
“It really is shameful, I think, that we’re having these conversations in 2021,” said Duke, “but I also know there’s a lot of, still, lack of knowledge and ignorance, sometimes willful, but sometimes not, in not understanding the differences culturally, because who teaches us that stuff?”
The CROWN Act can be read here.
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