FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Katie Barrows
Communications Director
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2022 - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed with bipartisan support H.R. 2116, the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, legislation which prohibits race-based hair discrimination, in a vote of 235-189. Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Jennifer Dorning released the following statement in response to the bill’s passage:

“DPE and our affiliated unions in the arts, entertainment, and media industries made passage of the CROWN Act a pillar of our Policy Agenda for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in these industries because no person should face discrimination for their natural hair, on or off stage. We applaud the House’s passage of this important legislation and thank the members who voted yes. Now it is the U.S. Senate’s turn to take action in order to send this important legislation to President Biden’s desk. We will continue our advocacy until the CROWN Act is the law of the land.”

In February 2021, DPE affiliates representing creative professionals released their Policy Agenda for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industries. The agenda details legislative action the unions are pursuing to help make their industries more representative. 

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.