Princess Sarah Culberson joins One54 to share the extraordinary true story of discovering that she was born into African royalty after growing up adopted in a white family in West Virginia. From reconnecting with her biological father in Sierra Leone to learning she was part of a royal family with generations of leaders dedicated to public service, Sarah reflects on the emotional journey that changed her life forever.
Sarah discusses growing up as a Black child in a small predominantly white town, navigating questions of identity, race, and belonging, and how her adoptive parents encouraged her to embrace the world through travel and education. She shares the emotional experience of meeting her biological family for the first time, being welcomed home by an entire village, reconnecting with her grandmother just months before she passed away, and discovering the rich history of her family in Sierra Leone.
The conversation explores adoption, mixed identity, Black identity, African heritage, and the importance of embracing every part of who you are. Sarah also reflects on conversations around race in America, colorism, representation, and how different cultures around the world define identity.
She opens up about what it truly means to be a princess, explaining that royalty is rooted in service rather than status. Sarah shares the work she and her family continue to do in Sierra Leone through education, healthcare, technology, and women's empowerment, carrying forward a legacy that spans generations.
Along the way, they discuss African royalty throughout history, Princess Diana, Meghan Markle, Bridgerton, Coming to America, Malcolm X's daughter Ambassador Attallah Shabazz, and why Black royalty deserves greater recognition in mainstream media.
This is a powerful conversation about family, identity, purpose, culture, and discovering where you truly belong.