When a Black journalist revealed she was fired for having natural hair, an Atlanta news anchor showed solidarity to fellow Black women in media combating discrimination. 

Francesca Amiker of 11 Alive posted a message to all of her social media platforms proudly showing love for her natural hair on January 18. Her bold act came after former WJTV This Morning co-anchor Brittany Noble-Jones detailed the events which led to her 2018 termination from the network. In a Medium article, Noble-Jones alleged she was fired for embracing her natural locs following her pregnancy.

"After announcing that I was pregnant, I was no longer included in commercials," she wrote on Medium. "I felt the need to starve myself to fit in. I now weigh only 108 pounds. I did eat while I was pregnant and while carrying my son and postpartum. I wasn't allowed to represent the station and my events were given away to another white reporter."

Usually, she would wear a wig to fit the station's ideal vision of a news anchor. But she realized the importance of young girls having a role model who sports natural hair. Noble-Jones said the station called her hair "unprofessional."

"I was told my natural hair is unprofessional and the equivalent to [my boss] throwing on a baseball cap to go to the grocery store. He said, 'Mississippi viewers needed to see a beauty queen.' He even asked, 'why my hair doesn't lay flat.'"

Harassment soon followed. She was essentially replaced and her ideas were dismissed, the post alleged.

Amiker was inspired by Noble-Jones' story discussing the all too common hardships Black women face in the workplace.

“With naturalistas under fire in the news industry, I am PROUDLY representing what many Black woman look like in their every day life … on this anchor desk. Good Morning, Atlanta. Tune in NOW. ???????? Protecting my hair and my peace. #MorningRushATL [sic], ” Amiker wrote.

With the natural hair movement in full swing, more Black women will break down barriers and change the workplace for the better. 

View this post on Instagram

It’s sad that our protective hairstyles protect us MORE than our own workplaces. •••••• For any woman to not feel adequate or feel as though she is forced to alter her appearance to be accepted by America’s lopsided view of beauty, know that your 4c kinks are merely the unique crown that God gifted to you ???? . Black women are gorgeous and we come in alllll different ways which is why I choose to rock multiple natural hairstyles on-air daily. There are young girls and much older women who see they’re hair represented on local news and go ‘Damn, I AM enough!’ I refuse to fry my hair just so you will feel ‘comfortable.’ If I want to wear my natural hair, a protective style or anything in between, I will. My hairstyle does not alter the mind and brains underneath it. Representation matters and more people need to see our #naturalhair in the workplace… NOT just on vacation.

A post shared by FRANCESCA AMIKER (@frantvhost) on

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Black hairBlack-JournalistsBritany Noble-JonesFrancesca AmikerNatural-hair