(Summary at the bottom)
15th of September marks WorldAfroDay, a day dedicated to celebrating and empowering natural Afro hair and identity, while also enlightening and educating about natural hair discrimination.
The World Afro Day was established on September the 15th in 2017, by Michelle De Leon. Michelle explains that the moment of inspiration for the World Afro Day stemmed from hearing her daughter sing proudly about her own Afro hair. Hearing this sparked her ideas to create a day dedicated to the empowerment and celebration of Afro hair, that could be celebrated all over the world! Michelle went on to create the World Afro Day with the support of her long-term friend and director Denese Chikwendu. The World Afro Day has been endorsed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights since 2017, and has gone on to become an award-winning, non-profit and global awareness day, celebrated by millions all over the world.
While the World Afro Day is about pride, empowerment and celebration, it is also a day for awareness and education.
The CROWN Act
In 2016, a U.S federal court ruled it was legal to ban dreadlocks in the workplace, essentially allowing discrimination against a protective hairstyle by law. In 2019, the CROWN Act was implemented as a preventive measure against discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles in work places and public schools. The CROWN Act serves as an extension of statutory protection for natural hair and protective hairstyles. CROWN stands for: Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair. Currently, 30 states in the U.S have implemented some version of the CROWN Act.
Hair discrimination is prevalent in society
Natural hair and protective hairstyles discrimination is prevalent in society, and on an institutional level. Individuals with natural hair and protective hairstyles are more likely to be perceived as unprofessional in work settings, and experience hair discriminatory school and work policies. They are also more likely to experience microaggression, and racial discrimination. Additionally, there is a lack of Afro hair being celebrated and fronted in the media.
The bias and discrimination against natural hair and protective hairstyles can cause exclusion, a feeling of shame and insecurity, and an external pressure to conform to societal norms.
The World Afro Day advocates for a change, through advocating equality laws, as well as providing education and awareness through digital school resources, research reports, workshops and cultural awareness campaigns.
You can learn further about the World Afro Day and the work they do on their official website:
Summary
- The World Afro Day is celebrated on September the 15th
- The World Afro Day is a day of celebration and empowerment, but also a day of awareness for discrimination towards Afro hair
- The CROWN Act serves as an extension of the statutory protection towards natural hair and protective hairstyles
- Discrimination against Afro hair and protective hairstyles is prevalent in society
- The World Afro Day advocates for changes to decrease Afro hair discrimination
With love,
The Inclusivity Group
