Title
To declare July 3, 2021 as NATIONAL CROWN DAY in the City of Columbus and to recognize and express the City’s ongoing support for eliminating racism and implicit bias against natural hair.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council remains committed to eliminating racism, reducing health inequities, and promoting systematic efforts to improve the quality of life for each of its residents, this includes a methodical focus to eliminate poverty, increase economic mobility, and to address factors that impact the social determinants of health; this Council recognizes that Implicit biases remain a part of American culture, despite the efforts that have been made to create an accepting environment; this includes the passing of laws that embrace diversity and inclusion and the ongoing quest to reverse racist ideologies that assume that Black traits are inferior - despite these efforts black hair remains a rampant source of racial discrimination with somber economic and health consequences, especially for Black Americans - studies show that Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair and that a Black woman is 80% more likely to change her natural hair to adhere to social norms or expectations in the workplace; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council expressed its commitment by adopting a resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis on June 1, 2020; it also adopted a resolution expressing its support for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair on July 30, 2020; and codified legislation strengthening provisions within the Columbus City Code to include protections to prevent people wearing cultural or natural hairstyles from being discriminated against on December 17, 2020; and
WHEREAS July 3, 2021, marks the 2nd anniversary of the passing of the first legislation to recognize the CROWN ACT in the United States; in a ground breaking decision the State of California enacted legislation to recognize the impact of racism and implicit bias and amended the California Revised Code to express support for Creating a respectful an open world for natural hair; the legislature also added provisions to legally protect against discrimination and to assist people wearing natural hair styles; and
WHEREAS, The Official Campaign of The CROWN ACT Led by the CROWN Coalition was founded by Dove, the National Urban League, the Color of Change, and the Western Center of Law & Poverty in 2019; the campaign was created to defend against discrimination predicated on race-based hairstyles with the goal of extending statutory protections to hair texture and protective styles for men, women and gender association which includes braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and in public schools - the CROWN Coalition has declared July 3rd as National CROWN Day; commemorating the anniversary of the signing of The CROWN ACT in California - the CROWN ACT has been introduced at the federal level; has passed in 7 states and has been introduced in more than 20 states since first being introduced by Senator Holly J. Mitchell in January 2019; and
WHEREAS, NATIONAL CROWN DAY will be a day of solidarity for the human rights of Black men, women and children to wear their natural hair boldly and proudly, without the fear of reprisal; the one-day celebration will feature a full day of virtual conversations; and people are encouraged to use #PassTheCrown on their social media platforms; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council recognizes and embraces its obligation to lead particularly during this heightened period of racial injustice and awareness; moreover, this Council calls for the eradication of discrimination in all of its forms, including acts which negatively discriminate against the Black community, including hair discrimination; this Council calls on the Ohio General Assembly and communities around Ohio to adopt legislation Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair; moreover this Council supports the Coalition’s mission of asking the Black community and its allies to share the #PassTheCrown and to encourage their state and federal legislators in states that have not yet passed The CROWN ACT to do so; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby declare July 3, 2021 as NATIONAL CROWN DAY in the City of Columbus and expresses the City’s ongoing support for eliminating racism and implicit bias against natural hair