PROTECT YOUR CROWN! HEARING TODAY
Come have your voice heard and show support for the Crown Act (HF3103)
PUBLIC HEARING – Crown Act – Bill on Hair Discrimination
Thursday, February 13, 2020
State Office Building 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, MN 55155 Basement Hearing Room The Committee of Government Operations will be holding a public hearing on the Minnesota Crown Act which seeks to protect against hair discrimination. Women of African Heritage are 80% more likely to change their natural hair to meet Eurocentric standards of appearance, social norms, or expectations at work. These women are 50% more likely to be sent home or know of a woman who has been sent home from the workplace because of her hair. While research on this topic for other genders is still being explored, recent news reports of hair discrimination are becoming more prevalent for all genders. The Minnesota Crown Act seeks to protect against hair discrimination. This legislation will ensure that traits associated with race, such as hair texture and hairstyle are protected from discrimination in the workplace and in educational settings. Ways to Take Action 1. Attend the Public Hearing - Come attend the public hearing this Thursday, Feb. 13th in 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. It makes a big difference when community shows up are in the room during public hearings.
2. Give public testimony/ written testimony- Have you faced hair discrimination in the workplace or in an educational setting? If so, please consider sharing your story by offering public testimony at a public hearing. Still looking for testifiers. If you are interested in testifying or submitting written testimony, please contact Jasmine Carey at 651-757-1753 or Jasmine.Carey@state.mn.us
3. Contact Legislators : Contact your legislator and the committee members of the Government Operations committee and urge them to vote yes on the Crown Act. You can view the full list of committee members here
https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/committees/members/91005
4. Sign on as an organizational supporter: If you would like to have your organization listed as a supporter, please contact Legislative and Policy Director our Jasmine Carey at 651-757-1753 orJasmine.Carey@state.mn.us
Please feel free share this email as well as the Facebook event with your network.
To learn more, check out these articles:
Crown Act in the local News
National Stories on Hair discrimination
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crown-act-new-jersey-third-state-ban-discrimination-natural-hair/
https://daily.jstor.org/how-natural-black-hair-at-work-became-a-civil-rights-issue/