DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A group of high school students empowered kids with textured hair to embrace their natural hairstyles and connect with their roots.
Sofia Scher, a senior at Spanish River High School, partnered with B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton to put this together. Around 20 kids in the foster system and six hairdressers came together Sunday morning to learn about textured hair. It took place at Downtown Roots Salon in Delray Beach.
Scher says it’s important for children to learn and get guidance about their hair’s hygiene and maintenance.
"I’ve always had to figure out my own hair, and how to take care of it," she said. "For a real long time, I did not know what I was doing. And then I found a community of textured hair stylists. It’s so helpful to know about your day."
Back in 2020, the Palm Beach County School Board voted 7-0 to amend the school district's non-discrimination policy to include hairstyles. Previously, it banned discrimination based "on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or sexual orientation, marital status, age, religion, disability, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic prohibited by law."
The CROWN Act is a way to protect people with textured hair from being discriminated against based on their race, including traits historically associated with it, like hair texture, type, and styles, like braids, locs, and twists.
State legislators have tried to make the CROWN Act a statewide initiative, but they did not succeed in 2023’s legislative session. According to online records, the attempt “died” on May 5 in the judiciary committee.
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