Testimony in Support of Ohio HB415 - The CROWN Act.

Testimony submitted to the Ohio House Education Committee by the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp.

Strong Support for House Bill 415 – The CROWN Act

Chair Fowler Arthur, Vice Chair Odioso, Ranking Member Brennan, and Members of the House Education Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in strong support of House Bill 415, the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. This legislation represents a crucial step toward dismantling discrimination that has long targeted Black girls and women in our schools, and I ask that you move this bill forward for a vote in the House and beyond.

As the Pastor of Blue Ocean Faith Columbus, a progressive Christian congregation rooted in social justice, and as Executive Director of LOVEboldly, an organization committed to creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in their faith, I have witnessed firsthand the harm that results when any person is made to feel that who they are, as they created by God, is somehow unacceptable or unprofessional. Hair discrimination is not a trivial matter of dress codes or aesthetics. It is a form of racial discrimination that sends a devastating message to BIPOC students, particularly Black women girls: that their natural beauty must be altered, hidden, or conformed to Eurocentric standards to be deemed acceptable in educational spaces.

The sacred texts I hold dear remind us that every person is created in the divine image, fearfully and wonderfully made. When we discriminate against students because of their natural hair texture or protective hairstyles (braids, locks, twists, and others) we deny the inherent dignity and worth that the God has bestowed upon them. We send a message that contradicts the very foundation of our faith: that all are beloved, that all belong, that all are worthy exactly as they are.

The CROWN Act addresses a real and documented problem. Across our nation, Black students have been suspended, sent home, or barred from participating in school activities because of their natural hair. These policies and practices don’t just violate civil rights, they inflict psychological harm, create barriers to education, and perpetuate systemic racism. When a child is told that their hair is a distraction or violation of policy, we are teaching them that their Blackness is something to be managed, controlled, or erased rather than celebrated.

As people of faith and as Ohioans committed to justice, we are called to do better. The prophet Micah reminds us to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). This bill is an opportunity to do justice for students who have been marginalized and discriminated against simply for existing in their authentic identities. It is an opportunity to create truly inclusive learning environments where every child can focus on their education rather than whether their appearance will be deemed acceptable by administrators enforcing discriminatory policies.

The CROWN Act is also common-sense policy. It clarifies that race-based discrimination includes discrimination based on traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and styles. It provides clear legal protections and recourse for students who experience such discrimination. And it sends a powerful message that Ohio values all of its students and will not tolerate policies that treat Black children as problems to be solved rather than as precious individuals to be nurtured and supported.

Twenty-four (24) states have already enacted CROWN Act legislation, recognizing that this is both a civil rights imperative and a moral necessity. Ohio has the opportunity to join them, to declare that in our schools, discrimination based on natural hair will not be tolerated, and that every student deserves to learn in an environment free from bias and prejudice.

I urge you to advance HB 415 out of committee and support its passage in the House. Our Black students deserve schools that celebrate their full humanity. Our communities deserve policies rooted in equity and justice. And our state deserves to be on the right side of history on this issue.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I am grateful for your service to the people of Ohio, and I hope you will demonstrate that service by championing this important legislation.

With gratitude and hope for justice,

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

Pastor, Blue Ocean Faith Columbus

Executive Director, LOVEboldly

In the Details

Monday, October 13, 2025

Happy Monday, my friends! My aunt loved details. She enjoyed planning events, working through all the details and relationships required to make even the most mundane family gathering special. When the event or her part of the event didn’t go to plan, she wasn’t fun to be around and if you were the reason for the problem…well, you needed to go elsewhere, even if the party was for you. When I tried to plan my college graduation party, she all but made me sit outside. You see, some people like details and they thrive only if all the details are met. Others can’t stand details or are calm enough to be spontaneous. I’m a type-A leader who stresses over every little detail. I hate planning events because I’m a big ball of nerves and emotions. Some of you know how I can get if the catering doesn’t arrive on time or people are late for an event.

I firmly believe that God neither calls us to be comfortable nor do they call us to suffer.

This past weekend, LOVEboldly and Blue Ocean Faith Columbus hosted Bishop Tim Wolfe in Columbus for a series of programs, meetings, and social time. Planning that visit[1] brought up every nervous habit I have including several moments of ADHD-induced decision paralysis. From making hotel reservations to reserving spots for programs to coordinating the details of Bishop’s sermon at Blue Ocean. Some people say that the devil’s in the details, but despite how nervous details make me, I still like to think that God’s in the details.

I firmly believe that God neither calls us to be comfortable nor do they call us to suffer. God knows that humans need to get outside our comfort zones if we have any chance to grow and develop. We need to be stretched and have our thoughts and opinions challenged. One of the great dangers of our insular, media-driven world is that we often don’t have to engage other ideas if we don’t want to engage. We can isolate ourselves to increasingly siloed echo chambers and forget what debate and compromise felt like. These echo chambers are even more destructive for those of us who can largely move through the world unmolested because of our gender, gender expression, race, and access to cultural capital. When your identity is centered, that is privileged, and you can walk through the world with that privilege, your lack of engagement with others makes you dangerous to people who for their very survival, must engage with others, because you no longer can recognize the trouble and hate your neighbors experience.[2] 

What echo chambers are you caught in right now? How does the God who shows up in the details disrupt your comfort zones?

Let us pray: God, we invite you into all the places where we are comfortable, because we know you call us out of those places and agitate us to action. Break open our echo chambers and dismantle the walls we’ve constructed that make us feel good, but which block out opportunities for contact, connection, and growth. Stretch us, God, and help us grow, not only has your people, but as siblings to every person with whom we come into contact, particularly the people you put in our paths. We ask this so that we can be more like you and so that we can be your hands, feet, and voice in our world. We pray in the name of Jesus, our model, liberator, and savior. Amen.

Blessings on your weeks, my friends! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Faithfully,

Ben +    

[1] Bear in mind that I’m writing this essay the week before it’s delivered so I can’t comment yet on the success or failure of the weekend. I do hope it’s a success.

[2] For a further discussion of these ideas, check out Howard Thurman’s arguments in Jesus and the Disinherited.

Collective Ripples of Resistance: Radical Healing after Violence

Sunday, October 12, 2025

José Rosario (he/him)

Founder, The Phoenix Empowered

Queer Christian

 The Pulse Nightclub shooting was the deadliest act of violence against the LGBTQ+ community at the time, underscoring that, despite progress, Queer individuals still face threats to our bodies and minds. It is crucial to recognize that the shooting occurred during Latin night meaning many attendees were Black and brown Queer people. As a Queer Puerto Rican man, I felt this deeply. I witnessed myself and others express grief and fear as we processed the attack on our community.

These acts of violence did not stop, and I continued to support clients who shared the same fear and pain upon seeing reports of victims who mirrored their identities. This experience motivated me to pursue graduate school to broaden our understanding of trauma and explore the impact of hate on both individual and collective levels for those who share minoritized identities with the victims. I am particularly committed to understanding the intersectional experiences of individuals with multiple minoritized identities who navigate violence across various systems. These experiences often involve straddling identities that are frequently overlooked,

emphasizing the need to recognize how these intersecting identities shape the ways people encounter and respond to violence.

I realized that violence creates ripples, leaving deep marks on our collective history. Yet, as my advisor reminded me, we also carry histories of resistance.

Let us consider the Taíno women who strapped babies on their backs to fight for their land, or how Marsha P. Johnson bravely led the fight for Queer justice, or how the Americans with Disabilities Act resulted from individuals with disabilities crawling up the steps of the Capitol and demanding change. These stories shape me as a gay Latino man who uses a wheelchair. In the Christian tradition, we often forget that Jesus challenged oppression, whether by flipping tables to denounce capitalism or centering the lived experiences of minoritized people. Activism and affirmation are central to change.

One key lesson I have learned in cultural and collective trauma work is that people do not heal in isolation. We come together, seeking spaces to collectively grieve, feel distraught, and continue to find hope. Healing has existed long before therapists emerged; various cultural practices have long served communities. As a therapist, it is my duty to support clients in finding spaces to heal, just as I strive to create a space for healing. We were never meant to heal alone.

The Psychology of Radical Healing framework offers five considerations for encouraging healing: (1) acknowledge

systems of oppression and the harm they cause within individuals and communities, (2) make space for individuals to live in their full personhood and recognize the many facets of themselves, (3) remember the collective strength of our communities as we resist injustice over time, (4) lean into your community; we are in this fight together, and (5) envision a world where change is possible, collectively supporting one another in hoping for a better future. In summary, we must create sacred spaces of resistance and storytelling to foster faith.

Violence is a reality of our world, and oppression is ingrained in the lived experiences of so many of us. This is your call to speak your truth and find a beloved community that affirms all parts of you. You deserve this space. Together, we can resist, and together we will hope. We can flip tables and traverse this road together. There is power and love in this collective breath.

Reflection

How can you contribute to creating spaces of healing and resistance in your own community?

What stories of resilience inspire you to act?

How can we collectively envision a future that embraces all identities?