In the digital world, representation matters especially because it reflects and validates our identities.

However, diverse and culturally significant black hairstyles have been noticeably absent in the realm of emojis. This gap in representation fails to respect and celebrate the richness of black culture.

A study found that 69% of black women believe that there is a lack of representation in media, including digital platforms. 

In response to this, young leaders at RISE 365 have proposed four new emojis that represent commonly worn hairstyles among black and mixed race people, specifically an Afro, Cainrows, Locs, and Braids.

Therefore, we are calling on Unicode Consortium to include these emojis in the standard set as doing so would not only represent black and mixed race people accurately but also educate individuals globally about the beautiful diversity of black culture and hairstyles.

Sign this petition to support inclusion and diversity in our digital expression.