Promises to fight for discrimination protections
If candidates endorsed by West Virginia Can’t Wait win the upcoming election, they’ll fight for stronger discrimination protections in the state.
That was the takeaway from a gathering held Thursday outside Amina’s Hair & Beauty Salon on Spruce Street.
“The goal today was to make sure the voters are informed, Delegate Danielle Walker said. “That they know exactly what candidate is supporting what policies and platforms.”
The West Virginia Can’t Wait platform includes passing a Fairness Act which offers employment and housing non-discrimination protections, menstrual equality and the CROWN Act — which prevents discrimination based on hairstyle.
Walker previously introduced the CROWN Act, which passed the West Virginia Senate but did not pass the House, she said.
“I will reintroduce it over and over for as long as I’m there until it is passed,” Walker said.
She put the bill forth after learning of a local high school student who was unable to play basketball with his dreadlocks and combed them out in the locker room.
Amina Dionne Beverly, owner of Amina’s Hair & Beauty Salon said she came to Morgantown because there were no hair salons in the area that focused on and specialized in natural hair care.
“Whether you are a nun wearing your hair covering into your place of business or work, a Muslim wearing a hijab, or a Rastafarian wearing dreadlocks, that is your right to express who you are,” Beverly said. “And to be accepted based on your ability to perform in your workplace and not based upon your expression of your culture.”
The West Virginia Can’t Wait platform also includes the creation of an office of representation with “real power” in state government, according to Cory Chase, a House candidate in the 53rd District.
The office would run a policy shop and make recommendations to help make West Virginia the most welcoming state in the country, Chase said.
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