Coming to an HBCU helped Kyrstin Johnson embrace her natural hair
One of the first things you notice about Kyrstin Johnson is her hair. The newly minted national champion often competes with her full, lush natural hair in full view – something that she never did before coming to her HBCU.
“It’s something I just started. I feel like now that I’m at Talladega, I can actually be free to be myself,” Johnson said. “I felt like in J-O (junior olympics), I always had to pull my hair up or put it in a braids. I would see the other girls braiding each other’s hair, doing this, and I would be in the back struggling, trying to take off my bonnet, trying to lay down my edges, and try to make sure the part was straight in the back of my head. But now I can just do a wash and go. Let my hair out and flow and just do my thing out on the floor.
Not only has Johnson found validation and confidence in wearing her natural hair at Talladega College. She’s also using it to market herself. In addition to being a student and an athlete, Johnson is also building her brand with NIL deals that include several black-owned businesses –including hair care products.
Johnson says she wants other little brown girls to know that they can be themselves and still compete in the sport.
“There’s nothing wrong with your hair. Your hair is beautiful. Please embrace your hair,” she said. “I just want them to know that it’s okay to do that. I’m glad I’m actually able to feel comfortable to do that myself – because sometimes I have been insecure about my hair.
“Yeah, black and proud.”
Johnson, as well as the other HBCU gymnasts at Talladega and Fisk, have made us all proud as well.