Sample Letter

Helmet company
Address

Dear Helmet Company,

Hello, I’m raising awareness for the issue of ethnic hair not fitting in commercial helmets. I’m contacting you to address a concerning issue that I’ve found in your helmet design. Over the past few years I’ve worked at an equestrian center with Girl Scouts. As a part of my position I’ve been required to fit hundreds of girls into your helmets. Through this experience I started to notice a conflict between your helmet design and certain hairstyles. When it comes to hairstyles such as ponytails and buns this issue is easily resolved, however when a girl has an ethnic hairstyle there is not always a way for us to undo it to accommodate the helmet.

This poses a problem not only in both inclusion and in safety. As you are aware, participating in certain activities without a helmet can be extremely dangerous. It increases risk of concussions, jaw and tooth fractures, avulsions, lacerations, and neck injuries. These risks disproportionately effect historically marginalized communities, which cause many people to be unable to participate in these activities. Almost 30% of troops we interviewed had issues finding helmets to fit them or one of their girls. In addition to the dangers this alienates a group of people from enjoying helmeted activities. 15% of troops had at least one girl that couldn’t participate in the activity because a helmet could not be found. I implore you to find a way to address this issue, and help us build a more inclusive future. I would love to hear any concerns or plans, as I hope to make an impact.

Sincerely yours,