The No School Discrimination For Hair Act passed through the House Education Committee on Jan. 28, moving New Mexico one step closer to outlawing discrimination against natural hairstyles and cultural headwear in schools and workplaces.
Filed as HB 29 and passed unanimously through its first committee, the bill would “prohibit schools to allow discipline or discrimination or different treatment, based on a student’s race or culture, or a student’s use of protective hairstyles or cultural headdresses,” according to the legislation.
The statewide push c
At the first Albuquerque City Council meeting of the calendar year, the governing body unanimously passed the CROWN Act, an amendment to the Albuquerque Human Rights Ordinance that will explicitly prohibit race-based hair discrimination.
The amendment protects against the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or culturally-specific hairstyles, including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.
The CROWN Act, short for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, started with a national campaign created by Dove and the&#x