The TU Naturalists

More than ever in the past 10 years, natural hair is being embraced as a suitable way to wear hair for Black women. The revolutionary natural hair movement can be traced back to the Black Panthers, where members rocked their natural afros as a sign of Black power and beauty. In the 2010’s, YouTube became a platform for Black women to post tutorials for women with natural, coily and curly hair. The section of YouTube known as the Natural Hair Community, created a tight bond of Black women who were learning how to take care of their hair at home. College can be a rough time for a person with natural hair. It’s difficult finding a barber or “naturalista,” as well as finding adequate natural hair products available near campus. Thankfully, Towson University has its own natural hair community: the TU Naturalists (previously the TU Naturalistas). Originally formed in 2013, the club describes itself as a group that “helps others embrace themselves in their most natural state by promoting self-care and self-awareness.” Each meeting, the group has its own special theme revolving around natural hair, such as how to take care of locs, creating hair oils, and discussing identity politics. Over the years, the TU Naturalists have created a community of natural hair wearers on campus, helping each other through their natural hair journeys. I met up with the secretary of the TU Naturalists, Mya Williams, to talk about the reboot of the club and what it’s like wearing natural hair at Towson University. Article featured photo by Raquel Santana on Unsplash. The post The TU Naturalists appeared first on The DC Voice.