Third Special Session on Immigration
The Florida legislature meets today to vote on a comprehensive series of bills targeting illegal immigration in the state. This is the third special session on the issue in less than a month. Central Florida Public Media’s Rick Brunson has been covering the session and joins Engage with the latest information.
CROWN Act Filed to Prohibit Hairstyle Discrimination
A workplace study conducted by Dove found that black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. It also found that the majority of black women change their hair for a job interview and many feel wearing it straight leads to a more successful outcome. Legislation "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act” also called the CROWN Act was first introduced in California in 2019 to prohibit race-based hair discrimination at school and work. In Florida, State Senator Shervin Jones introduced a version of the CROWN Act last week knowing that five previous attempts at passing it in Florida failed. Senator Jones joins Engage to explain why he thinks the act is necessary and what’s different about this version of the bill.
Ten years ago, Shakakan Stamper left her corporate job and started a career as a hair stylist because it was something she was passionate about. Shakakan focused on natural hair that hasn’t been chemically altered or colored. Today she is a master loctician, a hair stylist specializing in dreadlocks, and the Owner of the Lox Bar Orlando. Shakakan joins Engage to share how she’s experienced hair discrimination in her life and how it impacts her clients.
For the Love of Chocolate
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and one of the most popular gifts for sweethearts is chocolate. The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend 2.5 billion dollars on candy for Valentines Day, and chocolate is the most popular. Robin Back, Associate Professor at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management teaches about tastes. He joins Engage to discuss the reasons people buy chocolate for Valentine’s Day, why they love or hate the flavor, and whether there is a genetic explanation for why people enjoy or dislike tastes.
We visited the Maitland Chocolate Factory where meticulously detailed hand-crafted confections covered every surface of the chocolate shop owned and operated by Vivian Viteri. Ironically, she never tried chocolate until adulthood. Valentine’s Day is one of the most important days of the year for her business.
