Tsali Smith, OU finance senior and member of the Oneida, Ojibwe, and Cherokee tribes, grew up in a single-parent home. His mother juggled school and the care of his brother with disabilities, which made finances limited.
Before moving to Norman, Oklahoma, the home to OU's main campus, Tsali called Wisconsin, Illinois, and Massachusetts his home, but the environment was hostile to Indigenous peoples. He was bullied over every detail of his identity, down to the spelling and pronunciation of his name.
“I was labeled as foreign despite being native to this country,” Tsali said. “I was bullied for my long hair. Kids tried to cut it off. I was disciplined for speaking Cherokee in school. My identity was defined as inferior, unwanted, and better-off forgotten.”
After the family’s move to Norman, Imposter Syndrome set in. Tsali thought as an individual, he had no value. Throughout elementary, he kept to himself. When middle school came around, his mother all but forced him to join Many Nations Youth Council, a Native youth organization that was part of the United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY).
“Through this, I was selected as a White House Tribal Youth Ambassador,” Tsali said. “I was flown out to D.C. to hear Michelle Obama speak about the adversities Native Americans experience. I also connected to so many other Native youths during UNITY conferences, and this led me to be proud of my background and started steering me into the person I am today.”
As senior year of high school approached, Tsali had a decision to make. What would he do after throwing his cap and walking across the stage to receive his diploma? He found his answer at the University of Oklahoma.
“I joined these organizations because I wanted to socialize with other Indigenous students, develop my resume and soft skills for a successful career, and connect with Indigenous men who understood the challenges of being successful in predominantly white institutions,” Tsali said. “These on-campus resources helped define who I am today. I would not have been able to complete this higher education journey if it wasn’t for these key resources and the people I met.”
As Tsali’s journey as an OU student comes to an end this December, when he will graduate and officially become part of the OU alum family, his personal and professional goals continue to propel him forward.
“I will always remember all the laughs and all the times I was beaten up during Stickball,” Tsali said. “Every day, I was able to express myself because of how inclusive our spaces are. Every day, I made more positive memories than the day before. I am thankful for my time at the University of Oklahoma.”
As a graduating senior, Tsali would like to acknowledge the support of Tribal Liaison Warren Queton; Multicultural Greek Coordinators Aerial Hobson and Thuy Bui; past and current Student Life American Indian Program Service Coordinators Antonia Belindo and Ryan Lee; AISES advisors Lisa Morales, Steven Crossley, and Mark Yeary; the Price College of Business Center for Student Success Coordinators Dena Newhouse and Robert Harper; and Quy Nguyen, who supported Indigenous organizations whenever students lacked a Native staff member.
