DOVE CELEBRATES FIFTH NATIONAL CROWN DAY ON JULY 3 WITH #CROWNLove ACTIVITIES AND CALL FOR ALL TO JOIN THE CROWN MOVEMENT

Dove will celebrate Black hair Independence Day and the 26 states that have passed CROWN protections since 2019

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., July 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, July 3, Dove and the CROWN Coalition celebrate the fifth National CROWN Day, commemorating the inaugural signing of the first CROWN Act (July 3, 2019) to "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." This year's celebration includes the annual CROWN Awards and a call to action to join the movement to end race-based hair discrimination nationwide and showcase #CROWNLove on social media.

The hallmark event of National CROWN Day is the annual CROWN Awards, presented by Dove. Hosted by Tai Beauchamp, the 2024 intimate ceremony was held in Los Angeles, CA, at The Blackbird House, and highlighted the extraordinary strength, grace, and impact of notable Black women and girls whose talents and leadership help advance the legacy of Black beauty and brilliance.

"Dove is proud to celebrate this major five-year milestone and all the progress made to end race-based hair discrimination in the U.S.," stated Tish Archie-Oliver, Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, Unilever NA "While there is much to celebrate with 26 states and 50 municipalities that have passed CROWN legislation (or Executive Orders), there is still work to be done. We look forward to continuing to uplift Black women and girls and encouraging people to proudly showcase their #CROWNLove as part of this year's National CROWN Day celebration of Black hair independence."  

2024 National CROWN Day highlights include:

• 2024 CROWN Awards presented by Dove and hosted by Tai Beauchamp. The 2024 honorees include: Uzo Aduba (Emmy Award-winning actress, producer and activist); Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell (LA County Supervisor and CROWN champion), Graceyn "Gracie" Hollingsworth (voice of "Gracie's Corner"), LaTosha Brown (Activist, Visionary, Institution Builder and Creative), and Eunique Jones Gibson (Founder and CEO of Culture Brands and The Happy Hues Company). Special guests included actress Tina Lifford, actress Yaya DaCosta, Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad, Oscar Award winner Matthew A. Cherry, actress Novi Brown, and many more.
• Dove will partner with beloved digital children's series Gracie's Corner for a second year in a row to create a new custom short focusing on #CROWNLove and encouraging Gracie's young audience to love and celebrate their hair. 
• July 3 (National Crown Day) – driving a swell of conversation with CROWN Day posts from CROWN Award honorees, trusted messengers Tabitha Brown, Dr. Raquel Martin, Tina Lifford, and others; national and local affiliate newscasters wearing their "Natural Hair on Air," encouraging people to post photos of their natural or protective styles on social media using #CROWNLove.
• Visit Dove.com/CROWN to learn more about the CROWN movement and take action by signing the official CROWN Act petition. Be sure to tag @Dove, @TheCrownAct and #CROWNLove on all CROWN Day celebration posts.

About The CROWN Coalition
The CROWN Coalition was formed in 2019 by founding members Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color of Change to "Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." This alliance was formed to create a more equitable and inclusive experience for Black consumers through the advancement of race-based hair discrimination legislation known as The CROWN Act. The CROWN Coalition now includes over 100 community organizations working toward real, actionable change.

The CROWN Coalition was created by Dove, along with a team of Black women, including Esi Eggleston Bracey (Unilever's Chief Growth and Marketing Officer), Adjoa B. Asamoah (CEO of ABA Consulting), Orlena Nwokah Blanchard (Managing Partner of Seven Elements Group) and Kelli Richardson Lawson (CEO of House of JOY).

To date, the CROWN Act legislation (and/or Executive Orders) inspired by the CROWN Act has been enacted in 26 states and 50 municipalities, positively impacting the lives of more than 30 million Black people in the US. While there has been significant progress made, there is still so much more work to be done. 

The 26 states include California, New York, New Jersey (2019); Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Maryland (2020); Connecticut, Delaware, New Mexico*, Nebraska*, Nevada, Oregon*, Illinois* (2021); Maine, Tennessee*, Louisiana*, Alaska*, Massachusetts (2022); and Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas, Michigan (2023), and Vermont (2024). A CROWN-inspired Executive Order is in place in Arizona (2023) and Kentucky (2024). The state of New Hampshire has passed the CROWN Act, pending the Governor's signature. Once the Governor of New Hampshire signs, we will officially have 27 states with CROWN protections.  *Legislation inspired by the CROWN Act.

About Dove
Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove's heritage is rooted in care – proof, not promises grew Dove from a Beauty Bar into one of the world's most beloved beauty brands.

Real women have always been our inspiration, and since the beginning, Dove has been wholly committed to providing superior care to all, and to championing real representations of beauty in our advertising, communications and campaigns. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone, and the Dove mission is to ensure a positive experience with beauty is universally accessible to all.

For 65 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do. This includes the 'Dove Real Beauty Pledge,' and commitment to:

• Portray women as they are in real life with honesty, diversity and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair color, type and style.
• Represent individuals with zero digital distortion, with all images approved by the women they feature.
• Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world with a goal to educate 250 million young people by 2030.

PR CONTACT:
Heather Brown
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c: 917-528-1209

SOURCE Dove