5 things / CROWN Act
This new year, I learned about what two states have done to be more inclusive.
New Jersey became the third state to ban discrimination against (mostly black and brown) folks who have dreadlocks, braids, twists, and other natural hair. This came about after a high school wrestler was forced to cut his hair before a meet, but is a huge problem in workplaces as well.
My state, Illinois, has a new law requiring that public single stall restrooms be designated as gender neutral (instead of men's room and women's room). This includes restrooms in government buildings, restaurants, and more. Although this law is designed to be transgender-inclusive, I am thrilled because I've waited too many times for the women's room to open up while the men's room was vacant!
Here are some of the other best practices and good news I learned this week:
The clothing company Eileen Fisher is 60% owned by its namesake and 40% owned by employees (the majority of whom are women). This is surprisingly unusual but you can bet that this has a huge positive impact on employee loyalty and retention.
Over half of the 1800+ Target stores in the U.S. are led by women. This is remarkable only because it doesn't happen by accident and shows leadership's commitment to celebrating diversity and reducing barriers to advancement.
American Girl's 2020 Girl of the Year has congenital hearing loss. 15% of children have hearing loss and this is the first time an American Girl doll has been produced with a physical disability. This doll comes with a removable hearing aid.