McDonald, now president of the organization, was a member after Campus Curlz\u2019s return to campus in 2023 as it resumed its focus on natural hair empowerment while fostering a new community.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCampus Curlz was here before COVID, but they didn\u2019t come back from COVID,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cA couple of my friends wanted to bring it back, so they brought it back my sophomore year.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the organization\u2019s return, McDonald said attending the first meeting and her educational experience at SDSU sparked her curiosity about her own hair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know my hair was damaged and so I saw other Black students on campus and I was like, \u2018I want my curls to look like that,\u2019\u201d McDonald said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
McDonald said the club originated at Hampton University, a Historically Black University. An HBCU is a college or university established before 1964 that focuses on the education of Black Americans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said that, with Black students making up less than 4% of SDSU\u2019s student population<\/a>, getting exposure for the club has been difficult.\u00a0<\/p>\n McDonald said that Campus Curlz wants to expand to other individuals who also have curls and want to learn more about their hair, not limiting its outreach to Black SDSU students.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people think it\u2019s only for Black students, which makes sense because of our logo and we were made out of an HBCU,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWe want to help people with curls in general.\u201d<\/p>\n McDonald emphasized the importance of educating members about products that will help them maintain healthy hair. She said there are ways to tell if a hair product is good.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou take one product, get the other product, and put it on your hand or your palm. I use the back of my hand and then just start mixing it around,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cThen if it lathers, that means it\u2019s good, but if it starts to clump up, that means it does not mix.\u201d<\/p>\n McDonald said hair care and healthy eating share similar practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re trying to eat healthy and want your hair to be healthy, look at the ingredient stuff,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cIf you see words you don\u2019t even know how to pronounce, don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/p>\n SDSU\u2019s small Black student population isn\u2019t stopping Campus Curlz from its mission. Rather, it motivates the organization to continue encouraging students of color with different hair types.<\/p>\n Nicaise Onyike, a junior and Campus Curlz member, said her experience with the club taught her how to manage her hair and be confident wearing it.<\/p>\n \u201cI really like how they help you with taking care of your hair and how to manage your hair as a Black person because it\u2019s really hard in today\u2019s society,\u201d Onyike said. \u201cI feel like this club helps you be confident and comfortable with wearing your hair out.\u201d <\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Josh-Whitehead-Campus-Curlz-10-8-26-04-600x400.jpg\")
Members of SDSU\u2019s Campus Curlz club participate in a game called \u2018Shoot Your Shot\u2019 at the club\u2019s \u2018Curl or Treat\u2019 event on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 at Visionary Suite, in San Diego, Calif. Students participated in a variety of natural hair related games to win candy prizes.
(Josh Whitehead<\/a>)<\/p>\n