Indigenous Teen Bullied For Long Hair Is Now Mentor For Peers

Nathan Solorio was bullied at school for his long hair. He's now a mentor for other Indigenous teens.

The 15-year old high school student in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is a descendant of Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation and Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation. He said his long braids represent his ancestors, culture and inner “strength.”

“I wear my hair long because my ancestors weren’t allowed to when they were forced to go to residential schools,” Nathan told TODAY Parents. He spoke of a movement that began in the 19th century that ripped Indigenous children from their homes and enrolled them in boarding schools that destroyed their culture through abuse and indoctrination.

“The three strands of my braids represent my spirit, mind, and body,” said Nathan.

With no federally registered Indian tribes in Pennsylvania, Nathan and his 11-year-old brother Noah are the only Indigenous kids at school. Nathan's classmates teased him about his hair, calling him a “girl” and pushing him. “Once, they threw a metal water bottle at me on the bus,” he recalled.

Because Nathan’s father is Mexican, kids told him, “You’re not Native, you’re Hispanic” and called him slurs.

Related: When both his parents got cancer, this 16-year-old stepped up to take care of them

The bullying was so bad that at one point, Nathan cut his hair.

“From a young age, that hurts,” he explained.

At one point, Nathan confided in his mom Misty, who was also bullied while attending a predominantly white school in central Pennsylvania.

"Many times growing up, I was ashamed of my black hair and how I looked,” Misty Solorio told TODAY Parents. “I used to wish for blond hair and blue eyes.”

By connecting to her community (her biological mother is from Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation and her biological father from Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation) Misty learned to value her long hair, which she maintains today.

“I am so proud of my ancestors, my community, and my family,” she said. “I am the spiritual keeper for my sons. My hair represents my strength, my life experience, my knowledge.”

When Misty’s sister died in 2012, she breathed in her culture, as she had always done.

“Part of my healing journey was coming back to the circle to dance,” she explained.

Misty started participating in a performance called the "Jingle Dress Dance” which originates from the Ojibwe people. According to the National Congress of American Indians, at powwows (cultural celebrations), dancers wear dresses adorned with cones that make music with movement.

“I dance, for myself, but also for others when there is a need for healing,” said Misty.

Last year, Nathan started joining his mom at powwows, where he became empowered to help bullied kids.

Recently, a family friend nominated Nathan for a “25 Under 25 Native Youth Leadership Program” award through the United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY), an Arizona-based leadership organization for American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native kids.

To apply for the program, kids conceive projects to improve the lives of Indigenous kids.

Nathan pitched an anti-bullying organization called “Heart Medicine” that connects kids over Zoom or at powwows and retreats where they can talk about feeling isolated, lean on each for support and develop pride in their culture.

“We’ll work alongside Native and non-Native youth, ages 24 and under, on reservations, urban spaces, and rural and suburbs, across the country to improve mental and emotional health,” said Nathan.

This summer, Nathan was named one of UNITY’s "25 people under 25" and will receive a small grant to fund his platform. Nathan is also a Northeast regional representative with the National UNITY Council, as an elected peer leader.

“Nathan has a go-getter mentality and UNITY wholeheartedly supports his efforts to make his community a better place,” Mary Kim Titla, the executive director of UNITY, told TODAY Parents. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Nathan and other Native youth like him who are not waiting to be leaders of the future — they’re leading now.”

Although Nathan is still developing Heart Medicine's online presence, he’s already inspiring his peers. Heart Medicine held its first Zoom meeting in September, with an audience of 10 kids between the ages of 15 and 17, across four states.

“We introduced ourselves, played break-the-ice games and talked about being Indigenous,” said Nathan. “Two non-Indigenous kids came who tried to understand (our experiences).”

In September, Nathan was honored at an annual Nanticoke powwow where he was given an official coming out ceremony.

“Prior to that day, Nathan wouldn’t practice his dancing while I was around,” noted Misty. “So when I saw him dance for the first time, (there were) tears of joy and gratitude. I knew that Nathan felt a connection, strengthened his spirit, and that it would help him heal.”

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This article was originally published on TODAY.com