Kerry Washington, Zoe Kravitz, Rosario Dawson, SAG-AFTRA and More Urge Congress to Pass CROWN Act

Kerry Washington, Zoë Kravitz, Rosario Dawson, Don Cheadle and Niecy Nash-Betts were among the 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members who urged Congress to pass theCROWN Act, which prohibits discrimination based on hair style and texture.

In a strongly worded letter sent to the US Senate, SAG-AFTRA encouragedCongress to pass the bill, as it is an essential step to making all workplacessafe for people of color, and it is consistent with the Guild’s efforts toadvance equity and inclusion in the media and entertainment industry.

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The CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for NaturalHair.

“The CROWN Act is a huge step in ending discrimination based on hair in publiceducation and work spaces,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “Peopleshould feel free to style their hair how they feel most comfortable withoutthe threat of prejudice and unfair treatment. The CROWN Act will protect andpositively impact the lives of many Americans at school and work, but there isstill more work to be done to ensure private institutions adopt theprotections the CROWN Act provides. We should celebrate all hair styles NOTdiscriminate!”

Members asserted in the letter that “discrimination based on hair style ortexture is a destructive practice that has alienated and caused irreparableharm to Black Americans.”

The actor’s union has been working toward achieving hair and makeup equity inthe workplace.

The statement of support was recommended by the SAG-AFTRA Hair and MakeupEquity Work Group, chaired by Jason George, Yvette Nicole Brown, TiffanyYvonne Cox, Michelle Hurd, Ezra Knight, Linda Powell and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

“When you work in an industry where you can be hired — or not hired — largelyon how you look, you become acutely aware of how damaging it can be todiscriminate against someone based on something as extraneous as how they weartheir hair,” said George. “We’ve made strides in our own industry, but we haveour union backing us up and not everyone has that. Until our nation’s leaderssay, in no uncertain terms, that it is not acceptable to discriminate againstsomeone based on their hair, private employers and institutions will continueto skirt the issue with ease. The CROWN Act sets a new standard of equity thatmakes it harder to justify harmful and outdated practices.”

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sen. Cory Booker first introduced the CROWN Act in the House, which passed thebill in March with a 235 to 189 vote. The CROWN Act is awaiting passage in theSenate to then head to President Joe Biden’s desk.

The full letter and list of signatories is below.

SAG-AFTRA SUPPORTS THE CROWN ACT

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists,the world’s largest and most powerful entertainment union, calls on the UnitedStates Senate to pass S.188, the CROWN Act, to end race-based hairdiscrimination at the federal level.

Discrimination based on hair style or texture is a destructive practice thathas alienated and caused irreparable harm to Black Americans.

Implicit biases toward Black workers and students based on their hair texture,style and color are still the norm in federal offices and public education.Black students are disciplined at a rate four times higher than any otherracial or ethnic group, and research has found that 70% of all suspensiondisciplines are discretionary, many mood from dress code violations thatinclude hairstyles. In addition, the biased lens that makes curly hair or locsunprofessional – despite the fact it has nothing to do with job performance –far too often holds Black people back from promotions and job opportunities.

It is time that federal agencies and institutions take additional steps toensure the fair and equal treatment of all citizens they employ or who rely ontheir services, and this essential legislation puts all employers on noticethat a landscape in which Americans can be discriminated against based ontheir natural physical appearance has never been just and is no longertenable.

We the undersigned SAG-AFTRA members, and SAG-AFTRA, wholeheartedly endorsethe CROWN Act to put an end to race-based hair discrimination in the workplaceonce and for all. We urge you to take action and pass this legislation.

Thank you.

Fran Drescher SAG-AFTRA President

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director

Laz Alonso Tichina Arnold Malcolm Barrett Angela Bassett Shari Belafonte Skyh Alvester Black Marsha Stephanie Blake Kim Brockington Yvette Nicole Brown L. Scott Caldwell Don Cheadle Karen Chilton Holly Chou Carrie Coon Justin Cornwell Tiffany Yvonne Cox Eisa Davis William Stanford Davis Rosario Dawson Ariana DeBose Teniece Divya Johnson Aunjanue Ellis Ms. Lisa M. Fischer Jason George Tiffany Haddish Iyana Halley Taraji P. Henson Nichelle Hines Jennifer Hudson Michelle Hurd Dominique Jackson Anne Marie Johnson Leslie Jones Ezra Knight Zoe Kravitz Marvin LaViolette Tea Leonic Nia Long Andrea Lyman Eva Marcille Marsai Martin Audra McDonald S. Epatha Merkerson Mike Merrill Simone Missick Michelle Monaghan Kenya Moore Tia Mowry Niecy Nash Betts Ruth Negga Debra Nelson Yvonne Orjic Anna Paquino Janice Pendarvis Alison Pill Danielle Pinnock Linda Powell Sheryl Lee Ralph Salli Richardson Whitfield Wendy Robinson Yolonda Ross Vanessa Rubio Jeri Ryan Yara Shahidic Alexandra Shippa Gabourey Sidibe Leslie Silva KJ Smith Connie Stevens Kim Sykes Robin Thede Gina Torres Towanda Underdue Courtney B. Vance Lisa Ann Walter Samantha Marie Ware Martha Wash Kerry Washington Sharon Washington Sigourney Weaver Al Teron Williams John Wooten Constance Wue

SAG-AFTRA National Board

Fran Drescher, President Joely Fisher, Secretary-Treasurer Ben Whitehair, Executive Vice President Michelle Hurd, Vice President, Los Angeles Ezra Knight, Vice President, New York Michele Proude, Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Suzanne Burkhead, Vice President, Small Locals William Charlton, Vice President, Actors/Performers Janice Pendarvis, Vice President, Recording Artists/Singers

Don Ahles Sean Astin Shari Belafonte Randal Berger Nitasha Bhambree Mitchell Bobrow Rodger Brand Yvette Nicole Brown Josh Charles Henry Ian Cusick Jessica Day Nancy Duerr Abby Dylan Debbie Evans Frances Fishero Nancy Flanagan Ilyssa Fradin Hector Garcia Brad Garrett Michael Gaston Margie Ghigo Traci Godfrey Stephen McKinley Henderson David Jolliffe Phoebe Jonas Michael Kraycik Elaine LeGaro Jodi Long Andrea Lyman Mary McDonald-Lewis Mel MacKaron Camryn Manheim Joseph Melendez Matthew Modine Bill Mootos Dan Navarro Debra Nelson Rosie O’Donnell Ron Ostrow Jay Potter Linda Powell Sheryl Lee Ralph Anthony Rapp Patricia Richardson Courtney Rioux Rob Schneider Jeff Spurgeon Jonathan Taylor Thomas Peter Tocco Towanda Underdue Lisa Ann Walter Pamela Weaver Olga Wilhelmine Liz Zazzi

Those who wish to support the CROWN act can add their signature here.

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