Adjoa Asamoah

For many reasons, it is hard to conceive that, in 2023, Black people still have to worry about being discriminated against because of their hair – but it happens often. Which is why Adjoa B. Asamoah, a 45-year-old political and social impact strategist, chose to work with state and federal lawmakers over several years to introduce the CROWN Act, an acronym for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. The law explicitly bans race-based discrimination in relation to hair choices. It allows Black men, women and children to legally wear their twists, locs, braids or teeny-weeny Afros proudly. “The thing I’m out here working for is to preserve and protect our right to do what we want to do with our crown,” Asomoah told The Zoe Report. “I think part of the beauty of Black hair is the versatility, and so I like to try different things with my hair, and I don’t believe I should be discriminated against.” With Asamoah’s diligent work, the CROWN Act has passed in 23 of the 50 states in the U.S. It is still awaiting a passing Senate vote to become a federal law. With continuing hair-based racial discrimination lawsuits cropping up across the country, the legislation won’t come a moment too soon.