Dove Helps CROWN Awards Honor Black Women in 2021

Presented by beauty industry giant Dove and the CROWN Coalition, National CROWN Day is July 3, marking the inaugural signing of the first CROWN Act legislation in the United States  in 2019. This year’s celebration will feature a full day of virtual events, including the inaugural Crown Awards at 7:00 p.m. ET, which will honor Black women paving the way with contributions to culture, community, entrepreneurship, entertainment and the advancement of Black beauty.
 
To date, thirteen states and 29 municipalities have enacted The CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) Act, or laws inspired by The CROWN Act, but there is still more work to be done to make hair discrimination illegal across the country. With a federal bill introduced in both chambers of US Congress in March 2021, National CROWN Day 2021 will be an intergenerational experience to mobilize the Black community and allies to call on federal legislators to pass The CROWN Act in Congress. 
 
“I am so pleased that Dove and the CROWN Coalition have inspired a movement with such significant impact across the country, and I am grateful for the army of support working tirelessly to end hair discrimination,” stated Esi Eggleston Bracey, EVP and chief operating officer of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever. “Within two years, we've successfully passed legislation in 13 states, introduced a federal bill, grown our CROWN Coalition to over 80 powerful organizations, and exceeded our petition signatures with over 265,000 people joining our movement. Dove has always stood for beauty inclusivity and rejects social injustice of any kind, and we now must focus on the work needed to achieve the next major victory — passing the federal bill to protect Black women, men and children nationwide.”
 
As a founding member of The CROWN Coalition, Dove has championed The CROWN Act movement, created and driven by a team of Black women leaders working with a village of women who share a desire to end discrimination including  Eggleston Bracey and Erin Goldson of Dove, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, and Joy Collective agency leaders, Kelli Richardson Lawson, Orlena Nwokah Blanchard and Adjoa B. Asamoah as lead legislative strategist.
 
The legislative movement and National CROWN Day are led by The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty, and Color Of Change, and supported by over 80 community and advocacy organizations.
 
This year's events kickoff with a seven-day countdown of virtual engagement and community connections leading up to CROWN Day, which will feature a day of activations, including the inaugural CROWN Awards.