It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day...and thanks to this new collaboration between Dove, Verve Records, UMe and the Nina Simone Charitable Trust, Black women everywhere will hopefully be feeling good—about their natural hair, that is!
Per a press release sent to The Root, the aforementioned companies have all put their creative heads together (pun intended) to unveil the first-ever, official music video for the iconic 1965 Nina Simone hit, “Feeling Good.” The aim? To continue Simone’s legacy by telling stories that provoke Black female empowerment and oppose societal expectations and standards of beauty.
Directed by Sara Lacombe and spearheaded by Dove and the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Coalition, the three-minute long visual showcases four generations of Black women as they live and express their love for their hair through various means of self-expression.
Reflecting on why this particular song was the perfect choice to help raise awareness for the CROWN Act and the normalization and embracement of Black beauty and Black stories, a rep from the Nina Simone Charitable Trust explained: “Nina was a tireless champion of individual freedom of expression. She inspired the young, gifted and Black to celebrate their culture, reminding them their souls were intact just the way they were.”
Executive Vice President and COO of Unilever North America (Dove’s Parent Company) Beauty and Personal Care added:
“Dove is on a mission to change beauty and redefine narrow beauty standards. It is not acceptable for any of us to change our natural identity to gain employment or access to school. Unfortunately, 80% of Black women reported having to change their hair to fit into workplace norms. This is exactly why Dove will continue to champion to end race-based hair discrimination nationwide with The CROWN Act.
As a Black woman who has worn textured hairstyles for the past 25 years, and as mother of a 15-year old daughter who also wears a textured hair style, this legislation is deeply personal to me. Now is the time to pass The CROWN Act and eliminate this barrier for children and adults everywhere because we all deserve to FEEL GOOD about the way we wear our hair. This video expresses just that—what it’s like to feel good when you’re free to be you.”
As of Monday, June 7, Nevada became the 12th state to pass the CROWN Act, a bill that makes hair-based discrimination illegal. Other states that have passed the bill include: Nebraska, California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, Washington, Virginia, Delaware, and Connecticut.
To lend your support in the fight to eradicate hair-based discrimination, be sure to sign the petition. For more information on the CROWN Act, be sure to visit the website.