When we sit down for our call, it's late March. Toronto is still in that in-between season – the thaw slow and uneven, winter reluctantly loosening its grip. Earlier that week, the Centennial Colts wrapped their 57thAnnual Athletic Awards, another year neatly marked by celebration and forward momentum. Jade Solomon arrives at the conversation in much the same way – a quiet transition. A second-year member of the Centennial Colts Women's Basketball team, she speaks to me with clarity that feels both reflective and in motion, shaped by where she has come from and where she is beginning to go. As she shares her story – of sport, identity and what it means to be an Indigenous student-athlete – it becomes clear this is less about her two seasons with the Colts and more about the journey that is still unfolding.
Jade Solomon: Aaniin/Boozhoo, Jade indizhinikaaz. Nawash indoonjibaa, Orillia indindaa.
Hello, greetings. My name is Jade Solomon. My home is Cape Croker, and I am from Orillia. I am Anishinaabe.
[…]
I am studying Early Childhood Education Studies at Centennial, and I play on the Women's Basketball team.
Ryan Miller: That was very beautiful. What language was that?
Jade Solomon: That was Anishinaabe.
Representing Culture at Media Day
Ryan Miller: This conversation started because I noticed you brought a flag from your Nation to this year's Women's Basketball Media Day. Tell me about the story behind that.
Jade Solomon: Bringing the flag was an idea from both my parents. During my first media day as a rookie at Centennial, I wore a beaded choker that a family friend made for me. My mom suggested that I step it up a bit and bring a flag. Culture is a big part of everyone's lives. Everyone on the team had something from their culture, and I wanted to bring something that represented mine.
Ryan Miller: Which First Nation does that flag represent?
Jade Solomon: It represents the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation at Cape Croker. It's located near the Bruce Peninsula.
Family History and Heritage
Ryan Miller: Has your family been connected to that specific land for a long time?
Jade Solomon: Yes. There is a lot to our background that I'm still learning. My younger brother and I are the youngest generation, along with our half-brother. My dad is Sean Solomon. His mom is my grandmother, Patricia Solomon. My great‑grandmother was Valerie Solomon, whom I honour through my middle name, and her husband, my great-grandfather Louis Solomon. My great‑great‑grandmother was Lucretia Sands from Walpole Island, which is a different reserve. I also had a great-great‑grandfather, Bernard Solomon, who was a First World War veteran.
Some of my family is also Potawatomi, which are close relatives of the Odawa and Ojibwe; the three of them form the Council of Three Fires.
There's a lot of history in my family.
Ryan Miller: That's an incredible family record to have.
Learning About Residential Schools
Ryan Miller: Can you tell me a bit more about your journey learning more about your Indigenous heritage?
Jade Solomon: It started in Grade 8. We had to do speeches in English class, and I was struggling to find a topic. My dad suggested I do something about residential schools because it's part of our background.
I knew we were Native, but I didn't know what residential schools were. When I looked into it, I was horrified. I was also disappointed because I was raised Roman Catholic. I don't consider myself Catholic anymore, and I haven't since learning about residential schools.
Ryan Miller: That's very understandable. Did your family experience residential or day schools directly? I can imagine that because your family is Catholic, there may be some experiences, and I appreciate that it may not be something you want to talk about.
Jade Solomon: Yes, we have, and I'm completely fine with sharing. My great-grandma Valerie is a residential school survivor, and my grandma Pat is a day school survivor.
I've asked my dad about her experience [my great-grandmother Valerie], but ever since he was a kid, she wouldn't talk about it. I can only assume that it scarred her enough to keep her silent.
Ryan Miller: Yes, it was not a religion that came naturally.
Jade Solomon: No, it did not. It was forced assimilation, that's what it was.
Identity and Appearance
Ryan Miller: Knowing what I know from our conversations, I'm curious how all of this has affected your identity – is it something you struggle with, or does it just go hand-in-hand with the experience?
Jade Solomon: It goes hand-in-hand, but it can be complicated. When people first look at me, they see a white girl. I look more predominantly white, but I think you can tell from my features that I'm not.
A lot of Indigenous people don't look the way people expect them to. I've been told I look like my mom or my dad, and I can see features from both. Because I don't look "typically" Indigenous, I've had to explain myself a lot to people that I am a status, Native.
Basketball Journey
Ryan Miller: How did you get into basketball? I'll be honest, I don't know much about which sports are popular among First Nations communities.
Jade Solomon: I tried cross-country first because my dad ran, but it didn't stick. In Grade 5, I discovered basketball, and that's when I found my passion. I played house league and rep basketball in Orillia, then switched to the Huntsville Hurricanes when COVID disrupted opportunities locally. After that, I played for the Midland Waves for my final year of rep.
In 2024, I had this incredible opportunity to go to Austria as part of the World United Games. I was invited by Penn State Lehigh Valley Women's Basketball Head Coach Lorie Khahil. She's now at another school [Townson University], but she reached out, and it was incredible, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Growing Up Without an Indigenous Community
Ryan Miller: Did you have a community of other Indigenous players to play with? As a Black athlete who grew up playing hockey, I struggled to find peers with similar experiences growing up.
Jade Solomon: Not really. Orillia is predominantly white and some Filipino. You don't see many Native people there. Growing up, the only Native people I knew were my dad, my uncle, my brother, and myself.
Our reserve is about three hours away [from Orillia], so that community came when we visited to see family. It's very secluded and surrounded by trees near the Bruce Peninsula. Being involved regularly is difficult because of the distance.
Orange Shirt Day and Recognition
Ryan Miller: As you know, Centennial recognizes Orange Shirt Day as a time to reflect. Do you have an opinion on the day?
Jade Solomon: I respect why it exists, but one day isn't enough. As the great-great-granddaughter of a residential school survivor and the granddaughter of a day school survivor, this history is personal.
Land acknowledgements and Orange Shirt Day can feel repetitive when nothing changes afterward. People barely acknowledge it for one day, and then they move on. But for me, I think about it a lot.
Ryan Miller: I completely understand that. There is also Indigenous Peoples' Month in June, correct? But at the same time, that's also Pride Month. So, you still don't really get the same type of focus, like you would with Black History Month or even Asian Heritage Month.
Jade Solomon: Yeah, it's a little difficult. But as someone who is part of the 2SLGBT+ community, and as someone who identifies as two-spirt, it's nice that I get to celebrate multiple parts of me. It's why intersectionality is important for people to also understand.
"O Canada" and Protest
Ryan Miller: You've mentioned earlier about sitting during "O Canada" in high school and now standing. What changed?
Jade Solomon: When I was younger, sitting felt like making a statement. The older lyrics didn't acknowledge Indigenous Peoples until they changed it from "Our home and native land" to "Our home ON native land." My dad reminded me that my great-great‑grandfather, Bernard Solomon, fought in the First World War. Standing became a way of honouring him and Indigenous veterans. Now, when the anthem plays, I stand and look at the flag with that in mind.
Ryan Miller: How has learning about your heritage changed your perspective?
Jade Solomon: It felt surreal. I had to learn about it on my own first. Once I understood residential schools, I went to my parents and asked more. Now I see the darker parts of my history, and I feel like I have a responsibility to speak about it.
Education and Giving Back
Ryan Miller: You're studying Early Childhood Education. What guided you to that path?
Jade Solomon: I wanted to give back. My parents thought I should have been a lawyer [laughs softly], but I want to teach children and help them understand who they are. Ideally, I'd like to work in my community or on a reserve one day and include cultural learning in education.
I also want to coach basketball in the future, especially for Indigenous youth. I currently work as an instructor with PGC Basketball, which has been a full-circle experience for me.
Indigenous Sport Experience
Ryan Miller: Speaking of youth sports, I've read about the Indigenous Games, but I haven't had an opportunity to experience them. Have you been to these Indigenous Games and can you tell me about them?
Jade Solomon: Yes, I attended the Indigenous Summer Games when it was in Ottawa. It was one of the few times I felt myself fully while playing basketball. I got to connect with other Indigenous athletes, and it was a great experience.
Advice to Her Younger Self
Ryan Miller: I always like to conclude interviews with some self-reflection, so my final question to you: What would you tell your younger self, having seen how far you've come today?
Jade Solomon: I'd tell her to keep her head up, stay confident, and be herself. Don't bend to expectations just to fit in.
Closing Thoughts
Ryan Miller: Is there anything you'd like people to understand about your journey?
Jade Solomon: I want people to truly acknowledge what happened to Indigenous Peoples and how it still affects families today. That history lives with us. If I can use sport and education to help people understand that, then that matters to me. This was a big opportunity for me. I was excited to sit and talk with you. I don't usually get this kind of recognition and that means a lot to me.
Written by Ryan Miller - Sports Information Officer