The CROWN Coalition Celebrates Landmark Milestone In Its Efforts To End Hair Discrimination With The Introduction Of Federal Legislation

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance of organizations working to advance anti hair discrimination legislation, is celebrating a major victory with the introduction of a federal bill to ban hair discrimination called The CROWN Act of 2019.  The CROWN Coalition, founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, and Color Of Change, and supported by over 50 NGOs and non-profit organizations, have been working to raise awareness for the issue of hair discrimination and to drive action to end hair discrimination in workplaces and schools.  The announcement of a federal bill, led by Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-Louisiana) and Senator Corey Booker (D-New Jersey), is a monumental milestone in the Coalition's efforts to Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

"Hair discrimination has been a problematic practice impacting Black people in multiple settings for far too long. Natural hair and protective styles should never serve as a barrier. We in Congress have acted, and together with a racial equity champion like Adjoa B. Asamoah and the CROWN Coalition, we can ensure this form of discrimination no longer goes unchecked," said Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-Louisiana).

"Dove is incredibly proud to be a force in the movement towards a more equitable beauty experience for all people.  We were inspired to co-found the CROWN Coalition to support Senator Holly Mitchell in California with the inaugural CROWN Act, and are excited to see other state and federal legislators recognizing the time is now to take action to end this form of discrimination," said Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever North America. "We salute Congressman Richmond and Senator Booker, and the other members of the Congressional Black Caucus who are co-sponsoring The CROWN Act of 2019, for leading the charge to end hair discrimination nationwide."

"A federal bill in both chambers of Congress is exactly what is needed to address the racial injustice of hair discrimination on a national level," said Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and CEO of the National Urban League, a founding member of the CROWN Coalition.  "With the passing of The CROWN Act in California and New York and more than 10 other states taking action to introduce or pre-file similar legislation, there is a heightened awareness of the need to expand anti-discrimination protections to include hair texture and hairstyles inherent to race.  Federal legislation would eliminate the need for state-by-state legislation and would immediately break down systemic barriers that limit social and economic mobility of African-Americans based on Eurocentric standards of beauty."

"The federal CROWN Act of 2019 is an important and overdue step toward achieving civil rights and economic equity in this country," said Color Of Change Vice President Arisha Hatch. "Ridding our schools, workplaces and communities of hostile hairstyle discrimination will finally allow children of color to view themselves as deserving of every opportunity they've seen handed to their white peers for generations.  On behalf of our 1.7 million members, Color Of Change applauds Congressman Richmond and Senator Booker for their leadership in introducing this bill, and we thank our partners in the CROWN Coalition for their lasting commitment to ensuring that natural beauty is protected for all Americans, no matter the state they live in or the color of their skin."

The CROWN Act of 2019 is not the first time federal lawmakers have taken action against grooming policies that have a disparate impact on people of color. In 2014, the Congressional Black Caucus, led by then Chairwoman Rep. Marcia Fudge, appealed to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to reconsider U.S. Military rules for hairstyles that lacked cultural sensitivity and gave little regard to what it takes for women of color to maintain their natural hair. As a result, military grooming standards were reviewed and adjusted to ensure fair and respectful consideration of a diverse force.

"As reports of racial discrimination at work and in schools are increasing, it is essential that lawmakers recognize where more protections against it can, and should be, strengthened," said Jessica Bartholow of the Western Center on Law and Poverty.  "We are so grateful to Senator Booker, Congressman Richmond and the Congressional Black Caucus for their leadership on this issue and are eager to continue the work with other CROWN Act coalition members and allies until all workers and all pupils in our country are free from cultural and racial discrimination based on the texture or style of their hair.  Passing this Act is an essential step to reducing school pushout of black children and improving job opportunities for black workers."

Join the movement that's creating real change and aiding in the efforts to ensure Black men, women and children feel confident in expressing themselves. Sign the petition at www.TheCROWNAct.com to help us end discrimination and learn how you can get involved in bringing anti-hair discrimination legislation to your state.  

About The CROWN Coalition 
The CROWN Coalition is a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change, Western Center on Law & Poverty.

The CROWN Coalition is proud to sponsor and/or support the following bills in California, New York, and New Jersey:

• Sponsor of CA Senate Bill 188 'The CROWN Act' introduced by Senator Holly J. Mitchell
• Supporter of NY S6209A and A7797A introduced by NY State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey and Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright, respectively
• Supporter of NJ Senate Bill 3945 and A5564 introduced by NJ State Senator Sandra B. Cunningham and Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, respectively

These bills address unfair grooming policies that have a disparate impact on Black women, men and children and has drawn attention to cultural and racial discrimination taking place within workplaces and public schools. The CROWN Coalition members believe diversity and inclusion are key drivers of success of social and economic success.

The CROWN Coalition and The CROWN Act are supported by the following organizations:
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Links, Inc., Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women (NOBEL Women), African American Mayors Association, Black Women's Agenda, National Council of Negro Women, Black Women's Roundtable, National Women's Law Center, Black Women Organized for Political Action, National Action Network, National Black MBA Association, Inc., National Black Child Development Institute, Inc., National Association of Black Psychologists, United States Black Chambers, Inc., Black Business Association, Black Women for Wellness Action Project , Greater Sacramento Urban League, National Coalition of 100 Black Women-Sacramento Chapter, EMERGE: Natural Beauty Industry Alliance, Beauty and Barber Empowerment Center, Ujima, Inc., Hip Hop Sisters Foundation, Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, Equal Rights Advocates, Public Health Advocates, American Academy of Pediatrics, Courage Campaign, Greenlining Institute, Anti-Defamation League, Women in Public Policy, Inc., Professional Beauty Association, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) , California Black Health Network, Black American Political Association of California, California Black Chamber of Commerce, Women's Foundation of California, National Association of Social Workers-California Chapter, California Employment Lawyers Association, California Civil Liberties Advocacy, California Teachers Association, AFSCME California American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, ACLU New Jersey, ACLU California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, Berkeley City Council, National Lawyers Guild ? Sacramento Chapter, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Los Angeles Community College District, City and County of San Francisco Department on the Status of Women

About Dove
Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove's heritage is based on moisturization ? proof not promises grew Dove from a Beauty Bar into one of the world's most beloved beauty brands.

Women have always been our inspiration and since the beginning, we have been wholly committed to providing superior care to all women and to championing real beauty in our advertising. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone. That beauty should be a source of confidence and not anxiety. Dove's mission is to inspire women everywhere to develop a positive relationship with the way they look and realize their personal potential for beauty.

For 60 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do. With the 'Dove Real Beauty Pledge,' Dove vows to:

1. Portray women with honesty, diversity and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair colour, type and style.
2. Portray women as they are in real life, with zero digital distortion and all images approved by the women they feature.
3. Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world.

About Unilever North America

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. In the United States and Canada, the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Degree, Dollar Shave Club, Dove, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Love Beauty and Planet, Magnum, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Pure Leaf, Q-tips, Seventh Generation, Simple, Sir Kensington's, St. Ives, Suave, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TAZO, TIGI, TRESemmé and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) underpins the company's strategy and commits to:

• Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020.
• Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030.
• Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.

The USLP creates value by driving growth and trust, eliminating costs and reducing risks. In 2018, the company's Sustainable Living Brands grew 69% faster than the rest of the business, compared to 46% in 2017.

Since 2010 we have been taking action through the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan to help more than a billion people improve their health and well-being, halve our environmental footprint and enhance the livelihoods of millions of people as we grow our business. We have already made significant progress and continue to expand our ambition ? most recently committing to ensure 100% of our plastic packaging is fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. While there is still more to do, we are proud to have been recognized in 2018 as sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and as the top ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders survey, for the eighth-consecutive year. 

For more information on Unilever U.S. and its brands visit: www.unileverusa.com 
For more information on the USLP: www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/ 

About National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its 90 local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide. Visit www.nul.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @NatUrbanLeague.

About Color Of Change
Color Of Change is the nation's largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by more than 1.4 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people and our allies in America. Our campaigns and initiatives win changes that matter. By designing strategies powerful enough to fight racism and injustice?in politics and culture, in the work place and the economy, in criminal justice and community life, and wherever they exist?we are changing both the written and unwritten rules of society. We mobilize our members to end practices and systems that unfairly hold Black people back, and champion solutions that move us all forward.

About Western Center on Law & Poverty
Western Center fights for justice and system-wide change to secure housing, health care, racial justice and a strong safety net for low-income Californians. Western Center attains real-world policy solutions for our clients through litigation, legislative and policy advocacy, and technical assistance and legal support for the state's legal aid programs. Western Center is California's oldest and largest legal services support center. Visit wclp.org.

www.thecrownact.com

SOURCE The CROWN Coalition