Assemblywoman Angela McKnight Tackles Hair Discrimination at Natural Hair Expo

(October 1, 2019— EDISON NJ) As a guest speaker in Edison at the 3rd Annual New Jersey Natural Hair and Beauty Expo on Saturday, Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Hudson County) shared her story of initially feeling uneasy about having her hair in an afro as a legislator in Trenton. She now wears natural hairstyles daily and told the audience “I am now confident in my skin and hair and everyone should feel the same. No one should be in the workplace and feel like more attention is being placed on their hair than what they are saying.”

This sentiment and the story of Andrew Johnson, a Buena Regional High School wrestler who was forced to cut his dreadlocks or forfeit his wrestling match earlier this year is what propelled Assemblywoman McKnight to introduce hair discrimination bill A-5564.  If passed, this bill will amend New Jersey’s law against discrimination to include the terms race as including traits historically associated with race and protective hairstyles including but not limited to braids, locks, and twists.

The bill also is modeled after California’s CROWN Act and the New York City Commission on Human Rights’ guidance on protecting hairstyles associated with black people.

The Natural Hair Expo was held at the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center in Edison New Jersey with a mission of promoting self-love for those wearing natural hair as well as to provide attendees with natural hair knowledge and styling demonstrations.

“This is one of several events where I have been invited to speak in the last several months about natural hair and beauty. I commend the organizations that continue to facilitate this important discussion because it’s not just cosmetic,” says Assemblywoman McKnight.

“This is a civil rights issue because Black people have been historically marginalized based on racial and cultural identities such as hair texture,” explains Assemblywoman McKnight.