On the recordFebruary 28, 2022
I thank the chairman of our committee for allotting me this time to speak on a bill that I think is very important. Mr. Speaker, I do rise today to defend the right of Black people to exist as their authentic selves. Mr. Speaker, 58 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, racial discrimination still runs rampant. Far too often, Black people, especially Black women and girls, are derided or deemed unprofessional simply because their hair does not conform to White beauty standards. Our natural hair is as innate a quality of Black people as the presence of melanin in our skin. Discriminating against our hair is no different than discriminating against the color of our skin. Hair discrimination forces Black people to choose between employment and existing authentically. Black women are 80 percent more likely to alter their hair to fit in at work. It is no different at school, where Black students are disproportionately suspended for unapproved hairstyles. Fortunately, with the support of groups like the CROWN Coalition, State legislatures across the country have banned hair discrimination. State-level progress is an important step in the right direction, but it is not enough. Mr. Speaker, I have reintroduced the CROWN Act to end hair discrimination at the Federal level. My bill would eliminate an undue burden that Black women face every day.…
