I first heard about The Crown Act back in 2019. And I quite literally went through an innate struggle of both happiness and sadness. I thought it was a tremendous accomplishment for a state to pass a law that prohibited hair discrimination! 

However, at the same time, I found it completely astonishing that after all these years, we need a law to protect against hair discrimination. This law protects men, women, and children of color who aim to wear their hair in specific styles and textures that represent their cultural identity.

Since 2019, 7 states have passed The Crown Act.

While it felt like the United States had made huge strides, I acknowledged that there would be additional challenges ahead to get the remaining 49 states onboard The Crown Act, in addition to the passing of a federal law that would protect black men, women, and children against hair discrimination within institutions that are vital to their development within society. Though we still have ways to go, I cannot deny the progress that has been made.

Since 2019, 7 states have passed The Crown Act. Though we still have ways to go, I cannot deny the progress that has been made.

So, what is the Crown Act?

“CROWN” stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. The Crown Act  was first passed in California in 2019 and is a law that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. Prior to this law passing, a group of organizations that include such as Dove, National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law and Poverty came together to form the CROWN Coalition which focused on advancing this legislation (Americanbar.org, 2020).  

You may be asking yourself, how exactly does this translate into the workplace? Let’s get this straight. To this day, it is legal, in some states for organizations and schools to discriminate against people of color due to their hair texture or hairstyle. 

So, what does this mean for Corporate America?

If I lived in a state where the Crown Act has not passed, and wished to wear my hair in a specific way, that goes against an organization’s “dress code policy,” this means that said organization would be within its legal right to deny me a job, a promotion, professional benefits, etc. simply because of my hair.

For my non-black readers, I want this to truly hit home for you that the way in which a person of color’s hair grows out of their head could be a determining factor for why they are denied an educational or employment opportunity.  Straight blasphemy in my opinion. 

Let this reality sink in. Imagine if you were turned down for grad school or your dream job because your hair grew out of your head straight or wavy, and there wasn’t a thing that you could do to fight that discrimination. Or a law that could protect you because of one of your natural  characteristics. 

Take a moment to consider how that would make you feel.

That embarrassment, anger, or feeling of defeat is exactly why The Crown Act is vital to people of color in this country. 

Even in 2021, it is extremely disheartening that a law like The Crown Act is necessary, but the hard truth is that such discrimination is the reality of many black and brown individuals. 

This is why we need your support by signing petitions in favor of The Crown Act’s passage, especially if this act is not passed in the state that you live in. 

Click -here- to sign the petition.

Link: https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/help-make-hair-discrimination-illegal

DISCLAIMER: The piece written here is not associated with any company or organization, but is simply the expressed opinions of the blogger.

The post Have You Heard of the New Crown Act Law? appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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You should always consider what the worst-case scenario could be. You also want to consider, how this decision could impact your role and position. First things first, look into your company’s policies.

Ask your yourself if this is a relationship that you would honestly consider taking seriously now and in the future! Really think through whether or not the potential “risk” is worth the benefit to help inform your decision. While you look into your company’s policies, you want to ensure that this is something that won’t get you into any trouble as far as what is and what is not allowed in the workplace. Read on to understand what steps should be taken.

ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION

I always err on the side of caution, so I have never even thought of dating in the workplace. EVER. However if you’re in a situation where a potential relationship could arise.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING

Take the time to truly consider whether this is a serious relationship that you want to pursue. 

Once you make that determination, look into any HR policies around what is permissible in the workplace.

Decide who the relevant parties are to whom you should disclose the relationship.

BE PROFESSIONAL ALWAYS

Think of important parties as your manager, human resources, etc. They will help guide you to determine if a permanent change needs to be made in terms of employee placement in departments or teams, and any other HR relevant guidance that you may need to consider in this scenario.

AGAIN, this cannot be said enough. Determine whether or not this is a decision that you can live with. If so, ensure that you share this information with whoever needs to be informed. 

Finally, if you do date someone in the workplace, ensure that you maintain all levels of professionalism. Similarly, to that of working with a family member, you need to make certain that boundaries are not crossed and that you are cognizant of your relationship’s impact on your work.

This impact may be in the form of workplace performance, discomfort felt by your coworkers, or pressures felt by yourself to behave inappropriately in your work environment. Yes, workplace cultures may vary, but the main thing here is that you want to make certain that the lines between your personal relationship and your work expectations are not blurred.

DISCLAIMER: The piece written here is not associated with any company or organization, but is simply the expressed opinions of the blogger.

The post Dating in the Workplace appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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This year is one FOR THE BOOKS. Whether you are spending your holidays with your family, with a few loved ones, or on your own. This holiday should be one to be cherished and celebrated. I hear some people saying they plan to “cancel” this holiday season and just push through to 2021.

But not Today, Not me Sis.

While this year has been infiltrated with unexpected news month after month, death, unemployment, etc. I pray we all can find an ounce of joy in the things that we can control and seek to cherish the blessings that we still have.

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Below I’ve listed three ways you can reframe your mindset to STILL enjoy this year’s holiday season.

1. ENJOY ANY TIME YOU HAVE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. While this year has been historical in many ways that people may want to forget, what we want to remember are the times that we have with our loved ones. Although many people may not be able to be with family physically. Cherish the ZOOM, Facetime, and phone calls that you will be able to use to spend time with your loved ones. This year has taught us that life and time are both so so so precious. Please don’t take either for granted.

2. TAKE THIS MOMENT TO REALLY PAUSE AND DO THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY. These things can be as simple as taking a walk outside, watching your favorite show, purchasing or making your favorite food. For me it’s getting my favorite meal!!! This truly brings me joy. A lot of the year I spend my time ensuring I maintain healthy eating habits. So during the holidays I just like to enjoy and indulge in the foods that I don’t eat throughout the year with no worries and it brings me absolute pure JOY.

3. Unplug from distractions or any work! Whenever I have the time off of work, I will not be caught checking emails. I hope you plan to do the same too. I truly believe that for employees’ to be their best selves while at work, they have to truly embrace time off outside of the office. I hope you put the work phone away, disable notifications, and etc. because it will allow you time to decompress, reset, and recharge!

I hope these tips were helpful, these things can be so simple to incorporate into your life. Ultimately, reframing your mindset can shift EVERYTHING. These small shifts, could make a huge difference to your outlook on what is going on in the world today, and can mean a lot to your mental health. Try it, and it may change your life.

To stay up to date on new workwear, career, and fashion content that I post, please follow me on INSTAGRAM HERE

The post 3 Ways: Reframe Your Mindset to Enjoy the 2020 Holidays appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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So this week, scratch that, this whole year has been nothing but mournful, infuriating, and truly unbelievable.

I don’t have to go through the list, because we all have lived it. But the most recent death of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, has set this country into a complete and utter outcry. George Floyd’s death exposed a deep wound cut deep with years of racial oppression ripped open exposing the world to the fact that people are still being killed to this day because of their race.

So as in most cases, people took to social media to express themselves. And for Black Out Tuesday many accounts and by and large companies posted black squares as an initiative to stand in solidarity with black lives. Many companies that typically are not on the forefront of supporting black and/or diverse lives were given major side-eyes. It’s one thing to join the fight towards equality late and to admit to that, versus showing up to support for one day and then BOUNCING.

So people started calling companies OUT, in hopes to spur ACTION. One being by Aunty Jackie’s post HERE.

I think we’ve each witnessed companies that are touting their allegiance to the black community and their support of diversity & inclusion, but their internal business practices and diverse representation DOESN’T MATCH UP. Behind those words, as consumers, we want to know what does that allegiance REALLY MEAN?!

We don’t want companies to just check a box and say they’ve sent out their PR statement of the year. That is just not enough. The black spending power is impactful, read this article by Nielsen data to learn more HERE. We don’t want to support companies that do not truly support us. So I’ve put together a list of companies by the beauty, fast food, and retailer industry and I’ve included their diversity numbers, or lack thereof. IF I MISSED A LINK, PLEASE SHOOT ME A COMMENT.

This is an opportunity for us to bring exposure and open a dialogue that could ultimately lead to action and change. We as a COLLECTIVE WHOLE gotta support where we are supported. And we need to take our money elsewhere if we are not!

BEAUTY INDUSTRY

1. Loreal | REPORT HERE focuses on gender and not race
2. Unilever | REPORT HERE focuses on gender and not race
3. Estee Lauder |REPORT HERE focuses on gender and not race
4. Procter Gamble |NUMBERS AREN’T POSTED
5. LVMH Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton | NOT POSTED
6. Johnson & Johnson | REPORT HERE

FAST FOOD INDUSTRY

1. Mcdonald’s | REPORT HERE focuses on gender and not race
2. Starbuck’s | REPORT HERE
3. Subway | REPORT HERE
4. Taco Bell | NOT POSTED
5. Chick Fil A | NOT POSTED
6. Wendy’s | NOT POSTED
7. Burger King | NOT POSTED
8. Domino’s | NOT POSTED
9. Popeye’s | NOT POSTED
10. Chipotle | NOT POSTED – REPORT NO NUMBERS

RETAILER / APPAREL INDUSTRY

1. Walmart | REPORT HERE
2. Amazon | REPORT HERE
3. Costco | NOT POSTED
4. Nike | REPORT HERE focuses on gender and not race
5. Aldi | NOT POSTED
6. Ikea | NOT POSTED
7. H&M | NOT POSTED

There is so much visibility that needs to happen at these corporations, and so much work to be done. My message to you all is to be wise with your dollar. Demand change where it is needed. If our voices aren’t heard, they need to be taken elsewhere. As Bozoma Saint John said in a recent interview HERE. We want companies to put their money where their mouth is!

The post Show Us Receipts: A Call to Action for Corporate America appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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By (@Corporate_Curly)

As a woman of color in Corporate America, navigating through the confines of what is deemed “professional,” at times creates an unusual burden when embracing natural coils on the job.

This “burden” is not uncommon for women with curly or coily hair, and it’s one that can cause emotions of feeling “stuck” in a predicament where you are compromised to mask or change your natural hair to divert attention from yourself at work. I’ve experienced these feelings of being “stuck” at work in the past, and I can relate and I truly aim to help women who have trouble finding hairstyles that are right for them, make them feel confident, and simply work for them at their daily jobs.

My natural hair journey began in 2010,

and since then I’ve tried a variety of styles from braids, twists, to fros, and more, in an attempt to find what works best for me. Fast forward a few years later through grad school and working in Corporate America, I’d completely strayed away from wearing my natural hair all together. I did this because I didn’t want to jeopardize my “professionalism” by wearing my natural hair to work.

It wasn’t until I was two and a half years into my career that I began questioning why it wasn’t “right” or “professional” for me to wear the hair that simply grows out of my head to the place I spend the most time? During this time I also felt more empowered to bring my full self to work. So I knew for me and my professional journey that bringing my full self to work also meant wearing my natural hair, unapologetically.

It wasn’t until I was two and a half years into my career that I began questioning why it wasn’t “right” or “professional” for me to wear the hair that simply grows out of my head to the place I spend the most time?

It was after year two and a half

that I took the “big leap” and wore my fro to work. Big leap, sounds daunting huh? Seriously, it was, and it is a feeling that many other women with coily/curly hair feel. Looking back, it was nerve-wrecking, and on that day I was very self-conscious and a bit insecure, but on that day I also felt LIBERATED. Did I care what people thought, yes. Did I want them to think differently of me because of my hair, no.

When I wore my natural hair, it was actually a HUGE relief and
once I got through my perceived “fear” of wearing my own hair into work, I started to embrace it more. I began to share my experience with other professional women who were on the journey of embracing their natural texture at work. Whenever I get questions on how I “took the leap”

I always explain these three things:

1. First and foremost, educate yourself about the health of your hair. Especially if you are a newly transitioning natural, your routines and products will likely be different from the products used while you had a relaxer/perm.
2. Style your hair in ways that make YOU happy. Get any negative thoughts out of your head about your hair. Experiment and try different styles so that you know what makes you happy and feel most beautiful.
3. And finally, JUST DO IT. You are the only person who can love your hair the most. Love whatever texture that you have. Once you begin to educate, embrace, and love your hair nothing anyone can tell you should matter about your natural texture.

From that first day that I wore my natural texture to work,

I knew that my confidence and professionalism trumped any hair style that I wore into the office. Always know that whatever style you have, whether it’s straight, curly, coily, locs, or braided ensure your hair is groomed in whatever style you decide to wear. And what I learned is to believe and understand that your hair doesn’t diminish any ounce of professionalism that you bring to the workplace!

I’ve included my top three styles by maintenance level (from low to high) that I’ve tried out and love to wear at work.

Natural Hairstyles I Love for Work

(None of the pictures are owned by the author )

The Natural Updo | Maintenance: Medium Natural updo styles are great, because they are extremely easy to manage and can last an entire week or longer. This style is my favorite because of the convenience and medium maintenance. Natural updo styles are great, because they are extremely to manage and can last an entire week or longer. This style is my favorite because of the versatility and medium maintenance.

Twists | Maintenance: Low
Twists are such a great hair do if you are looking for an easy, convenient, and long lasting style.

The post My Experience with Wearing Natural Hair in the Office appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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Congratulations if you’ve ever received a promotion in your career!

You understand the hard work it takes to navigate through the challenges of your role as well as the confines of your company’s (sometimes) politics to progress to the next level. For those who have experienced hardship, and an inability to progress in your career, I feel you. I understand it can be exhausting, challenging, and in some cases a hopeless battle, but you can do it.

There was an article written by Georgene Huang in 2017 in Forbes titled, “Minority Women Really Are Least Likely to be Promoted in Corporate America.” This article hit home for me, because as a minority woman in Corporate America, I have in the past witnessed myself and people who look like me collide and smash into the glass ceiling without any luck of shattering through it.

After speaking to many women who would see their peers and counterparts climb up the corporate ladder, with what seemed like little to no effort, many women I knew spoke about a common idea. An idea, that was not specifically stated by those I spoke to would refer to this idea of a culmination of different tactics, essentially describing one’s ability to “PROMOTE THEMSELVES.”

When I say this, it does not by any means mean, YOU are the only one contributing to a successful promotion, but it means YOU take charge of what needs to be done to be able to get promoted.

One really strong message someone once told me is, not to concentrate on the end result (in this case being a promotion). But focus on how and what you need to do to get there.  This includes:

1. Maintaining and building strong relationships
2. Working HARD and delivering above what’s expected
3. Understanding your company’s promotion process by speaking about when and what you need to do to get promoted
4. Identifying your area of opportunities while being receptive to feedback

While this list is not exhaustive, these four tips are pertinent things you can use to understand what it takes and how you can get promoted. It’s vital that you truly understand what the promotion process looks like for your company (to the extent that it can be shared) so that you understand what it takes to get to that next level.

A few words that I’ll leave you with is:

1. Own your own career.
2. Don’t expect anything to be handed to you, regardless of your length of time in your role.

Working hard isn’t always the only thing that will get you promoted. Focus on the relationships you build, and how you work with people. Make sure you’re always promoting yourself by the work that you produce, the interactions that you’re having with people, and your ability to work with others. All of your contributions give an indication to how you’ll work at the next level. This absolutely impacts your readiness to promote to the next level.

What are your thoughts and experiences on promotions at your current and past work experiences? I would love to hear!

Disclaimer: All advice and blog posts are my own opinion and are not associated with any company or organization.

Photos are not owned by Corporate Curly.

The post Promote yourself, heard of that before? appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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Are you currently in the process of relocating for a new job? I’ve done this many times over the past four years. How are you coping adjusting to your new life and city?

I graduated from grad school a few years ago, and I have been very thankful to have had the opportunity to travel, move, and work in various industries over the past four years. With these amazing opportunities also come challenges and struggles.

Within the past four years I have moved six times and lived in three different states. All for opportunities that have led to job progression! Within the past four years I have learned a plethora of amazing information and have worked with some extremely intelligent people. Now that I look back, I can definitely say that time has flown and it’s all been a whirlwind! Throughout my journey I’ve definitely learned some things that I would love to share!

Here are a few tips that have helped me with transitioning to new areas while balancing a 9-5.

1. Be open-minded – If you are transitioning to a new company, location, or moving to a different part of your company, there will be a lot of changes. Whether that’s culture, people, behaviors. This is the time to be open, don’t cling onto how times have been in the past. Embrace the now and present!
2. Don’t listen to Drake, make NEW friends – I was so open to this, and always have been whenever I move. This is a great opportunity to make genuine connections, learn from new people, and build lasting relationships.
3. Download MeetUp.com  and connect with some new people– I know meeting “strangers” can be tough, awkward, and uncomfortable. But just think, these people are going to these meetup groups for the same reason that you are. To MEET NEW PEOPLE. So don’t be shy, download the app, and find a local meetup group to start connecting with people!

These are just a few recommendations that I believe have helped me out with my transition to new cities throughout the past few years. If you’re transitioning to a job in a new city, I hope this works for you! If you’ve moved around a bit, what has worked for you during your move(s), I would love to know!

The post Relocating for a New Job? appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you

Thank you, thank you, thank you for stopping by and checking out my page. I really appreciate any and all support to Corporate Curly! I am soo excited to start this journey of blogging and building a strong connection with the community that I’ve connected with since starting Corporate Curly.

I started posting natural hairstyles on my Instagram page in 2013

To give you all some background, I started posting natural hairstyles on my Instagram page in 2013 for about two years. In 2015,  I took a hiatus from Instagram until around 2017. The main reason why I took this break, was because I started my professional career, and I simply began to stray away from wearing natural hairstyles into the office. So at that time, I did not post any pictures because I wasn’t trying new natural hair styles to post on Instagram.

In 2017, I started my Instagram page back up. At this point, I was 2 to 3 years into my career and wanted to, in a way, document my journey of embracing natural hair in the workplace.

I soon realized that there were many women and women of color who were going through similar experiences as myself…

After speaking with some of my girlfriends and women with similar journeys as my own. I soon realized that there were many women and women of color who were going through similar experiences as myself in regards to bringing their true selves to work and/or embracing their natural hair in the workplace.

With this in mind, I began to document my natural hair styles. I also started to post more pictures of work wear inspiration in addition to my HR advice for young professionals in the workplace. At that point,  I began to truly love connecting with women who have journeyed through experiences similar to my own… And from there Corporate Curly was born

The post Welcome To My Blog! appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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Hello my Werking Women!

I’ve struggled in the past on maintaining and building relationships and a network at work as I’ve grown in my corporate career. So I thought it would be beneficial for me to share tips on what I’ve done to grow and foster my network, but also what you can do to build and maintain relationships in your own work career. 

1. Go to events
2. Pull old business cards out
3. Reach out
4. Last one

How have you maintained relationships throughout your career to build your network?! Please comment below

The post End of the Year Network Tips appeared first on Corporate Curly.
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