Lawrence may become first city in Kansas to protect Black residents from hair discrimination

The Lawrence City Commission will take a final vote on Aug. 22 to pass the CROWN Act, which stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." The ordinance would protect Black people from race-related hair discrimination in the workplace.
According to a CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study, approximately two-thirds of Black women change their hair for a job interview, and 41% change their hair from curly to straight.

“We know that the traditional white standard of beauty is one that is centered in professional settings, and that is something that Black women and men have had to conform to, and that takes them out of their identity of who they are,” Lawrence City Commissioner Amber Sellers told KCUR's Up To Date.

Sellers was one of the commissioners who voted to adopt the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” at a city meeting last week. The commission will cast a final vote to pass the ordinance on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

“Lawrence is a unique place in Kansas and we believe in taking care of our community and ensuring that everyone belongs,” Sellers said.