By: Ashton Nardella

West Virginia has the capacity to be wild and wonderful, and Black Policy Day serves as a means to uplift the Mountain State by supporting Black folks and other minorities in raising their voices high. 

Black Policy Day was established in 2022 by Crystal Good, Katonya Hart, and Dr. Shanequa Smith, to create a space for those who were previously voiceless. 

The event takes place in Charleston at the state capitol, and it is a great opportunity for anyone and everyone to engage with elected officials and take part in shaping public policy. 

“It builds awareness—not just bills that only affect Black West Virginians, but [bills that are] affecting us all,” Laurie Goux said. 

Laurie Goux is the Director of the Center for Cultural and International Affairs here at West Virginia Wesleyan College. 

The Center for Community Engagement sponsors trips to Black Policy Day, and Goux, along with Lexi de Coning and Jessica Scott, have all brought students to the event these past couple years, allowing for any students interested to participate. 

“To be able to sit in the state legislature to hear and experience how people pass these laws that directly affect–not just your community–but you personally. It was an experience for students to see how people rally around an issue like the CROWN Act and give reasons why it’s important for everyone to know about and to have that act passed,” Goux said. 

The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act is meant to prohibit discrimination based on a person’s hair texture or hairstyle, if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin.

“[My hair] has nothing to do with my credentials or my skills and abilities,” Goux said. 

The bill has been passed in twenty-seven of the fifty states, but West Virginia has yet to pass the bill statewide. However, some progress is being made, as the cities of Beckley, Charleston, Huntington, Lewisburg, Morgantown, and Wheeling have enacted the policy. 

If you are looking to stay informed one of the aforementioned founders of Black Policy Day, Crystal Good, is also a founder of Black By God, a news organization whose “finger is on the pulse of what’s happening politically in West Virginia.”

You can also check local and state websites for more information on proposed legislation. 

“See what bills are put on the table and find something that you want to stand up for, whatever it is, but you stand for something,” Goux said. 

Taken by Will Price