CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hundreds of people, including 300 students, were at the state Capitol Wednesday to advocate and educate state lawmakers about communities of color.
Wednesday was Black Policy Day at the state Legislature.
“We have to put the issues on the table and need to start talking about them,” said Crystal Good, founder and publisher of “Black by God,” during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline” at the Capitol.
Good was joined by Dr. Shanequa Smith, a restorative justice practitioner, to highlight legislation and other policy measures this legislative session.
Smith said some state lawmakers are unaware of what goes on in Black communities because there’s a lack of communication.
“This issue is that we’re not communicating. We have individuals in power that don’t know what to do because they’re not connected to the communities and we have people from the communities that feel that their voices are not being heard, so we’re trying to build that bridge,” Smith said.
Among the bills they’re advocating for is a hair protection bill called the Crown Act. The bill allows for people to wear their hair naturally in a professional setting without being discriminated against.
“It protects folks that have braids or dreadlocks and certain hairstyles that some folks that do not see as ‘professional.’ They don’t understand the care and the time that goes into Black hairstyling or if someone is wearing their natural hair,” Good said.
Good said it’s a personal issue that many people have experienced in the workplace. She said she has seen that in the world of television.
“I have seen producers and directors tell Black women you can’t wear your hair natural, and you need to do something different. That’s a slap in the face. There’s no recourse for that,” Good said.
Good and Smith said they’re also pushing for more funding at West Virginia State University, a historically Black institution, and policies to improve infant and maternal health.
Good said sometimes it’s not about introducing new legislation, but it’s also about shaking hands with lawmakers in order to be seen.
“Part of our education might not always be specific bills, which we do have, but it’s more of the general tone that you have another constituency. There’s more people in your community that you may not be visible to, but today changes that,” she said.
For more information about Black Policy Day, CLICK HERE.