Over the summer, Gov. Charlie Baker passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, or CROWN Act, intended to protect against hair discrimination and bias based on hair texture, that’s historically associated with someone's race. Once the bill is passed in the Senate, it would make hair discrimination based on the texture of natural hair illegal in the workplace and in K-12 public and charter schools. 

Still, many states do not have these laws protecting against discrimination, resulting in stories of Black men, women, and children being punished for their hair and in some incidents of having their hair cut off. This controversy has sparked a rise in the natural hair movement, first originated during the 1960s in the U.S., and now more people of color are finding each other online and sharing their natural hair journeys, including; awareness about natural hair care products, natural treatments, hair loss and scalp conditions, and finding local salons and natural hair stylists. 

On this episode of Basic Black, we discuss the impact of the CROWN Act and rise in the natural hair movement. Host Kristen L. Pope will be joined by: Nike Okediji, owner of The Curated Curl and Deputy General Counsel at GBH; Celeste Viciere, therapist and podcast host; Sharita Payton, owner of The LOFT Hair Studio; Dr. Deborah Scott, Co-Director, Hair Loss Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.