Mississippi representative Zakiya Summers, along with other local elected officials, advocates and youth leaders will help kick off the Miss Black Mississippi Pageant with a news conference to announce the introduction of the CROWN Act, which is legislation to prohibit hair discrimination in schools and the workplace.
The conference will be held at 1 p.m. September 1 at Twin Forks Rising Community Development Center, 601 East Pine Street in downtown Hattiesburg.
Along with Summers, Representative Percy Watson, Hattiesburg Ward 2 Councilwoman Deborah Delgado, Magnolia Mayor Tammy Witherspoon, Ms. Black Mississippi USA 2023 Torri Alexander, MS Black Mississippi USA Pageant Officials, CROWN Act Activist Faith Fennidy, and Beauty & Fashion Expert L. Lashley will speak at the event.
As the pageant participants vie for the crown, Summers will call attention to the need to pass this measure during the 2024 Legislative Session in her continued efforts to support women and girls in the state of Mississippi. The CROWN Act stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
It is a law that prohibits discrimination based on natural textures and protective hairstyles in schools and the workplace. As of June, 23 states have enacted The CROWN Act into law.
Summers is hopeful to receive support from legislative colleagues and leadership in order to add Mississippi to that list and secure these protections.
