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Bill > AJR191


NJ AJR191

NJ AJR191
Designates September 15 of each year as "World Afro Day" in NJ.


summary

Introduced
09/22/2022
In Committee
09/22/2022
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/08/2024

Introduced Session

2022-2023 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This joint resolution designates September 15 of each year as "World Afro Day" in New Jersey. Beginning on September 15, 2017 in the United Kingdom, World Afro Day has stood as a celebration of natural hair and as an educational event to teach about Afro hair. The date was chosen to mark the day in 2016 when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the rescinding of a job offer for Chastity Jones, who had her job offer rescinded for refusing to cut her dreadlocks. The court later withdrew this opinion and issued a revised opinion with the same outcome. The organization World Afro Day provides educational resources and hosts events to teach about natural hair and end hair discrimination. Afro hairstyles have been discriminated against for centuries. This has led to exclusion, bias, and low self-esteem. New Jersey recognized this problem and passed the "Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair Act" in 2019. Positive representations of natural hair and shifting perspectives on natural hair are crucial to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where all residents of New Jersey can thrive.

AI Summary

This Joint Resolution designates September 15th of each year as "World Afro Day" in New Jersey, a day to celebrate natural hair and educate about Afro hair, acknowledging the historical discrimination and exclusion faced by individuals with Afro hairstyles. The date, September 15th, was chosen to commemorate a 2016 court case where a job offer was rescinded due to a refusal to cut dreadlocks, highlighting the ongoing issue of hair discrimination. The resolution aims to promote positive representations of natural hair and foster an inclusive environment, building upon New Jersey's 2019 "Create a Respectful and Open Workspace for Natural Hair Act" (also known as the CROWN Act), which prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and style.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (2)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee (on 09/22/2022)

bill text


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Document Type Source Location Created
State Bill Page https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/AJR191 09/15/2022
BillText https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2022/AJR/191_I1.HTM 09/23/2022
Bill https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2022/AJR/191_I1.PDF 09/23/2022
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