JCPS students honored for work on CROWN Act preventing hair discrimination

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Jefferson County Public School students were honored for their advocacy work on the CROWN Act on Tuesday night.

Three students were honored during Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting for testifying before a legislative committee in Frankfort for the CROWN Act.

CROWN is an acronym for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.”

The act was created to protect the rights of citizens to showcase natural hair and would prevent discrimination against certain hairstyles.

Keshawn Johnson, a student at Central High School, DAngelia McMillan, a student at Grace M. James Academy of Excellence, and Jeriah McMillan, a student at W.E.B. DuBois Academy, were the three students who traveled to Frankfort in support of House Bill 31.

While HB31 passed the House Judiciary Committee in March, it has not made it through the full House.

Other students honored on Tuesday include Aaliyah Compton from Johnson Middle, Andrene Flowers from Iroquois High, Heavenly Garth and A Mani Garth from The Academy @ Shawnee, Amya Hudson from Conway Middle, Kaylin Booker form Western Middle, and DaVonn Pitney from duPont Manual.

The students were part of the Young Prodigy youth group who have been rallying across Kentucky to get the CROWN Act passed statewide.

Mayor Greg Fischer signed the CROWN Act into law for the Louisville Metro in July of 2021.