On Nov. 6, the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), as part of the NSU Shepard Broad College of Law, will hold their semi-annual panel for the fall 2020 semester, focusing on the 2019 CROWN Act. The panel, titled “No, You Can’t Touch My Hair: The Importance, Necessity and Controversy of the CROWN Act,” will be held on Zoom, starting at 6 p.m.
The CROWN Act, which stands for Creating A Respectful And Open World For Natural Hair, is a bill that prohibits racial discrimination based on hairstyle. This includes the denial of employment or educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective styles, such as braids, dreadlocks, twists or Bantu knots. The CROWN Act has been passed in seven U.S. states, including New York and California, but for many states, including Florida, the act failed to pass in the Senate.
The panel will feature Florida state District 11 senator Randolph Bracy III as the keynote speaker and will focus on the legal perspective of the CROWN Act from different standpoints. Attendees can expect to learn more about the act, how it was handled in the Senate and the current political climate attached to the act. Panelists for the event include Adjoa B. Asamoah, Judge Ashleigh Parker Duston, Stephen Wigley, Linda Harrison and Doris ‘Wendy’ Greene.
Jordana Rostant Nunes, president of BLSA, said the CROWN Act is significant because, “Many men and women have been told that, in order for them to receive a certain employment position or opportunity, they would have to shave their dreads, they would have to chemically straighten or materially alter their hair to fit archaic standards and roles that have been set.”
While the CROWN Act may have failed to pass as law once, it is still an important topic of discussion among young professionals.
“The purpose of the CROWN Act is to change the narrative. It is to get people to understand and respect that you cannot deny someone an opportunity for advancement because of the way their hair biologically grows or the natural protective styles that people of the Black community chose to protect their hair,” said Nunes.
Those interested in attending are required to register for the event prior via this link, or going to the BLSA section of NSU’s website. The panel is free for all students and members of BLSA and $10 for the general public, faculty and staff; and attorneys can attend for $20, as it qualifies for a Florida Bar CLE credit.
“Having conversations like these will not only help minorities, but also help people that do not come from these cultures and teach them to respect others. The phrasing of the CROWN Act is creating an open and respectful environment, and I would say that, as students, we are lacking a respectful environment when it comes to other cultures and identities. Having a conversation here, we can learn to respect others,” said Nunes.
