- April 22, 2024
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Jaynisi Guzman, 12, sat in the salon seat Aug. 9, at Olga’s Hair Salon and showed salon owner Olga Soltero a photograph of the haircut she wanted. Guzman was one of about 40 school-aged children who received free back-to-school haircuts from Soltero Saturday.
This is the fourth year Soltero has organized the haircut outreach and the first one held since she moved into her own salon.
“So many kids and parents are in need — I’m doing stuff for the community, for the kids, because they are our next generation,” Soltero said. “It works a lot with the bullying. A lot of people get bullied because of the way they look — long hair and hair between their eyebrows or a mustache. So, if you clean it up and boost their self-esteem, maybe it will diminish the kids picking on each other.”
Bullying is something that Olga Perez said she has seen increase over the years. As the mother of a soon-to-be high school freshman, Perez said she wanted to make sure her son is trimmed and the haircut provided by Soltero is a great start.
“I think they help, it does boost their confidence,” Perez said. “A haircut just makes you feel better and it translates to better self-esteem. Tragic stuff happens when bullying is involved, so maybe if one little haircut can change a person, that’s huge.”
Olga’s Hair Salon opened on Old Moody Blvd. in March, and Soltero is already looking forward to next year’s event. With visions of bounce houses and funnel cakes, her hope is that other stylists will want to join the event and contribute their skills, resulting in more haircuts for needy students.
For Guzman, her new style was coming together. As Soltero put the finishing touches on the 12-year-old's new curly do, Guzman looked into the mirror and couldn't contain her smile.
“I really, really like it,” she said feeling the bounce of her new bangs. “I’m so excited to go to school and show it off.”
