UC’s Miss Kuamka recognized for anti-discrimination platform

At a formal-dress celebration in early February, fourth-year UC sociology student Karrington Rainey passed the title of Miss Kuamka to her successor, Jaela Kennedy, at the 24th Annual Kuamka Ball. Kennedy, a second-year law and society major in the College of Arts and Sciences, was selected from a field of candidates for her platform centered around The Crown Act.

Since 1999, the African American Cultural and Resource Center (AACRC) has sponsored this staple event that marks the celebration of Black students at UC. Each year, the AACRC receives entries from candidates who participate in five rounds of competition: essay, interview, platform, question-and-answer and talent. This is the second consecutive year that A&S students have been recognized with the Miss Kuamka title.

“Interested students fill out an application answering why they want to become a candidate. Through the process, you get to decide what the university needs to see more of and create a platform around it,” said Kennedy of her candidacy experience.

Kennedy chose The Crown Act, created in 2019 in California to advance protections against discrimination based on natural hairstyles such as braids, locs, twists and knots in housing, the workplace and public schools. The initiative was co-founded by the Crown Coalition and Dove, a company that has been active in campaigns celebrating natural beauty and self-acceptance.

“The Crown Act is a set of initiatives and laws that prevent race-based hair discrimination,” Kennedy says. Though Cincinnati City Council passed the legislation in 2019, the topic is important to Kennedy because the laws are not yet recognized state-wide.

Kennedy’s ultimate goal for her Miss Kuamka initiative is to institute a ‘crown day’ celebration at the university that would be a day for “individuals of any race or background to embrace their natural crowns because we all have different hair and that is something we should be proud of.” 

The Kuamka celebration has roots in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences. Founding AACRC director Paul Eric Abercrumbie earned his PhD in interdisciplinary studies from A&S in 1987. Abercrumbie made it his mission to celebrate the talents and achievements of Black students across the university. Twenty-four years later, the AACRC continues this tradition through the Kuamka awards. 

The term Kuamka translates to “in the beginning” in Swahili. AACRC Director Mercedes Johnson explained: “As a part of our goal for connecting students with Africa, our history, culture, and traditions, many of our programs and initiatives have various African languages tied to them like Swahili. Kuamka formally kicks off the spring semester, hence the meaning of ‘in the beginning’.”

As a law and society major with criminal justice and communication minors, Kennedy is well-positioned to advocate for anti-discriminatory laws and has plans to apply to law school after graduation.

Kennedy says she has always been passionate about loving her natural hair, and encourages future Kuamka candidates to search for what it is they are passionate about and have fun with the process.

“We had an amazing cohort, and every person had a phenomenal platform. It’s nice to be connected with them and to have their backs, because all our platforms connect in some way,” she said.  

Added Johnson: “We are extremely proud of Jaela and excited to see all that she will do in this role!” 

Featured image at top: Left to Right: UC students Karrington Rainey, Jaela Kennedy, Aaron Allen and Romond DuVal. Credit: Provided.