PHOENIX —Today,Governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order prohibiting race-based hair discrimination alongside Dr. Neal Lester,  Beverely Elliott, Executive Director of the African American Museum of Southern Arizona, Janelle Wood, Founder of Black Mother’s Forum, Donna Williams, President of the Phoenix Chapter of The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and many others.

“For far too long Black women, men, and children have been deprived of educational and employment opportunities for wearing their natural hair, " said Governor Hobbs. “Today, I am issuing an Executive Order that demonstrates the need to prioritize the protection of culture, and allows individuals to show up as their true selves without being subjected to race-based hair discrimination.”

This executive order will prohibit state agencies, and all new state contracts or subcontracts from discrimination based on hair texture and protective styles, such as braids, locs, twists, knots, and headwraps, in the workplace and in public schools to ensure protection against discrimination based on all race-based hairstyles.  The 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study found that approximately two-thirds of Black women change their hair for a job interview.

The executive order can be read below.

eo_2023-09.pdf