People still experience hair discrimination in the workplace. World Afro Day is trying to change that

Today (15th September) is World Afro Day, a global day for millions to celebrate the beauty of their afro hair and to feel proud of their naturally kinky, coiled or curly strands. This year, as part of the project’s ongoing mission to raise awareness and challenge negative attitudes, World Afro Day is also delivering a vital call to action to end race-based hair discrimination in the workplace.

In 2020, Duke University published findings which showed a bias against Black women with natural hairstyles in job recruitment. This can (and must) be stopped by businesses joining the inclusion movement.

Michelle DeLeon, the Founder and CEO of World Afro Day, launched the project, which is endorsed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in 2017. She has been instrumental in changing the conversation around hair texture, enabling teachers and other school leaders to implement policies that will protect Black children from hair discrimination.

In fact, last year World Afro Day’s focus was on the Big Hair Assembly, which called on education leaders and headteachers to finally end discrimination against Afro hair in schools. This came after De Montfort University’s Hair Equality Report, which showed that one in six children with Afro hair have experienced hair discrimination in UK schools.

Fast forward to 2023 and the focus is on the workplace and celebrating World Afro Day’s 7th anniversary. Hosted by TV Presenter Scarlette Douglas and Emmy award-winning journalist Tashara Parker, this year’s event will highlight new employer research, which examines the attitudes of UK and US companies towards Afro hair at work.

Expect appearances from entrepreneur Levi Roots, financial expert Emmanuel Asuquo, global tech disruptor Paulette Watson, Shift Insight CEO Jane Powell, Professor Jonathan A J Wilson and barrister Laith Dilaimi.

But the work doesn’t stop there. There will also be a call for change as the majority of businesses need to urgently learn and understand Afro hair inclusion. In order to do so, World Afro Day CIC has teamed up with BUD Leaders to devise a training programme to help companies stop Afro hair discrimination.

Consumers will also be able to check which companies have signed up for action through training and are going beyond just surface optics.