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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 43
JANUARY 24, 2020
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Georgia lawmakers file bill to prohibit hair discrimination By Mackenzie N. Morgan Staff Writer State Sen. Tonya Anderson, a Democrat who represents Georgia’s District 43, has filed a bill to stop hair discrimination in the workplace, schools and for those seeking housing. If passed, SB 286 would protect people who have braids, locks, twists and other textured styles typically associated with African Americans. Violators could face lawsuits, civil fines and various penalties, if found guilty of discriminative practices concerning hair. Similar legislation has been passed in California, New York and New Jersey, according to news outlets. State Sen. Nikema Williams, a Democrat who represents District 39, said she is working with Anderson on the bill known as CROWN (Creating A Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair). Anderson recently discussed the bill at the DeKalb Cultural Exchange community breakfast meeting. “It means you can’t be discriminated against at the workplace, schools, and other places. Our hair is an expression of who we are. If the baby wants to wear beads in her hair to school, then she should be able to wear those beads with her braids. No one should ask you when are you going to take it down," Anderson said. Anderson said support for CROWN is spreading across the nation. “The wave is going to our 50 states—from California to Florida, which dropped the bill in November. We are going to make this a movement,” said Anderson.
Pictured Commissioner Larry Johnson, second from left, at a community event to educate the public about the census count. Photo provided
State Sen. Tonya Anderson, District 43, discussing the hair bill at the DeKalb Cultural Exchange community breakfast meeting on Jan. 11. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
State Sen. Nikema Williams, District 39, posted this graphic on her Facebook page to demonstrate the versatility of black hair styles deemed suitable for the workplace.
Williams, who began holding conversations around hair discriminatory practices last Spring, said she knew it was time to take the conversation to another level after a non-person of color and fellow legislative colleague openly commented on Williams’ hair after she came to work with her hair
DeKalb hits the ground in push for 2020 Census count Fred McBride to keynote forum at St. Philip AME on Jan. 30 DeKalb County is kicking off a whirlwind of activities and events, now that the 2020 U.S. Census enumerators have begun the push to count every person living in the U.S. for this decade. The U.S. Census kicked off the nation’s count in the remote Alaskan fishing village of Toksook Bay with enumerators traveling on frozen terrain on Jan. 21. Locally, the count will begin in March. DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, who is heading DeKalb’s “Complete Count Committee, says organizers are gearing up to help census workers contact hard-to-reach populations in DeKalb by hosting carnivals, forums, faith outreach and MARTA initiatives and other events to let people know they can respond to the census online, by phone or by mail. The county is seeking 100 percent participation, Johnson said. In 2018, DeKalb County had
SEE BILL page 7
a population of 757,000 with a median age of 35.9 and a median household income of $64,461, according to Data USA. “You only get a census every 10 years. It is so crucial that every one is counted to make sure our county has what we need,” said Johnson. “Each person in DeKalb is worth almost $3,000. If we can get 100 percent, we will get $1.8 billion coming back to us from the federal government over 10 years. The last time we had the census count 10 years ago, we only had a 72 percent return rate, which means we missed out on $275 million that DeKalb County could have had with a 100 percent return rate.” Johnson said with so many urban communities in DeKalb, the Complete Count Committee, comprised of representatives from each municipality in DeKalb, each commissioner’s district and the CEO’s office, had to be creative in
SEE CENSUS page 7
DeKalb County Superior Courts achieve milestone in Accountability Courts
Front row (left to right): DeKalb Superior Court Judges Mark Anthony Scott, Clarence Seeliger, Asha Jackson, Linda Hunter and Gregory Adams. Standing(left to right): Stacey Hydrick, Courtney Johnson, Tangela Barrie, LaTisha Dear Jackson and Shondeana Morris.
Judge Mark Anthony Scott, presiding judge over the Stone Mountain Circuit’s four accountability courts, announced that the circuit has achieved a participation milestone by having all 10 of its judges voluntarily preside or serve in one or more of the Accountability programs. The Stone Mountain Circuit has created and continues to successfully administer Drug, Parent Accountability, Mental Health and Veterans Treatment court programs for the most vulnerable citizens in DeKalb County. Citizens have long recognized that incarceration is not the sole solution for many who encounter the criminal justice system. Scott said because the judges see the benefits of this approach, they volunteer to help encourage citizens who qualify to participate in one of the four
programs. “Many of the programs’ participants would simply be lost without the creative and compassionate solutions the professional staff and judges utilize in assisting these citizens through a very rough patch in their lives and the lives of their families,” Scott said. Scott also said that the circuit would not enjoy the level of participation by his colleagues without the financial and administrative support of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and various state entities that provide support. “I am very proud of this and the many other accomplishments of the accountability court model in DeKalb County and looks forward to growing the programs moving forward,” Scott said.