Video of Tennessee 5th Grader with Afro Embracing Her Natural Hair after Being Bullied Goes Viral

A 10-year-old who was bullied for sporting her natural hair bravely confronted her bullies in a "bigger" way and encouraged others not to allow anyone to “steal your joy.”

Promise Sawyers is a 10-year-old who’s “bigger and better” than the people who chose to shame her for wearing her Afro hair to school.

In a clip that has gone viral, Promise used her experience to educate others about self-acceptance

“I went to school and I wore my hair in an afro like this,” Promise narrated in the clip originally posted on her mother, Qui Daugherty’s Facebook page.

"...don’t allow anyone to steal your joy. Don’t give them that much power.”

The fifth grader continued by recounting how people at school “had a lot of mean things to say about it [her hair]”.

“That made me feel some type of way,” said the courageous girl.

Promise added that when she got home and told her mom what happened, she was advised, “Promise, don’t forget who you are and whose you are.”

Armed with the confidence instilled by her mother, Promise decided she would go to school the next day proud of who she is.

“I’m going to go to school and I’m going to come back bigger and better,” she vowed. And to her audience, she advised, “And don’t allow anyone to steal your joy. Don’t give them that much power.”

“I felt confident and pretty,” she said. “At my old school, people thought my hair was cool.”

Promise’s clip soon went viral since it was posted three weeks ago. As of this week, it already amassed nearly 2 million views according to Atlanta Black Star with over 9,000 comments praising her.

Due to her sudden popularity, Promise was invited to guest on the “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in its September 20 episode where she was lauded by fellow guest Tracee Ellis Ross for her brave example.

“I am so glad that you know that at 10-years-old what it took me so long to learn about myself,” Tracee said.

Promise also spoke to Fox 17 and expressed her surprise at being picked on because of her hair because in her old school that wasn’t the case.

“I felt confident and pretty,” she said. “At my old school, people thought my hair was cool.”

Meanwhile, her mother, who told Yahoo Lifestyle that her daughter was always taught at home to “meet a negative with a positive” said that she was proud of Promise for taking a stance but didn’t expect the extent to which her video spread.

“The immediate family was more proud of that moment, but we had no idea the impact that it was gonna make and the amount of messages,” she told Fox 17.

Promise certainly made quite an impact so we’re hoping more and more children and adults will gain the kind of confidence and self-acceptance she has.