Let's have some fun

Everyone knows what happened at this year’s Oscars, and they may shy away from Award ceremonies. That isn’t my style, however, I was invited to one and initially passed because of previous plans, but when my event was canceled the stars were aligned; it was fated that I attend an Awards show, the Trumpet Awards (https://www.trumpetawards.com/) held at the Dolby Theater.

For those who don’t know what they are, I’ll share. Besides a chance to dress up, be on camera since it’s televised, and go to the elegant Dolby, it’s a celebration of the best in African American excellence and achievement. It’s an evening of inspiration, to enlighten and raise the human spirit by recognizing Black humanitarians who have succeeded against the odds.

On my left was my date and on my right was a woman who was the sister of one of the recipients. She has an amazing story.

Sarah Culberson is bi-racial, born to a Caucasian mother and African father. Because both of her biological parents were young college students they couldn’t keep her. When she was nine months old her mother put her up for adoption. Three months later a Caucasian couple, Professor Jim Culberson, and his wife Lynn adopted her. They already had two biological daughters, ages, 10 and 11.

Fast forward and Sarah given lots of love grows into being an overachiever. After she finishes her education she heads out west to Los Angeles to begin a film career. Her roommate knows a private investigator who works by the hour, and Sarah hires him to find her birth parents. A few days later she gets a call from a woman who claims to be her Auntie. But the surprise doesn’t stop there… wait there’s more. The Aunt tells her she descends from a royal bloodline and her Grandfather was a Chieftain in Sierra Leone.

Sarah makes the trip to Sierra Leone and is welcomed with open arms. So many times adoptive children are afraid of what they will encounter and assume they weren’t loved. When in fact, they were let go because they were loved and a parent or couple wanted the best for them!

Sarah finds her father who freely gives her his love and so does the entire tribe! Unfortunately, her biological mother had passed a decade before from cancer. So that meeting never took place. But she was assured that her mother tried to keep her until she couldn’t any longer. There’s so much more to this story that I don't give credit to.

Assuming the responsibility of a Princess Sarah with the help and support of her adoptive parents forms a non-profit to help bring water to the region where her ancestors are from and she continues to raise awareness of issues impacting the nation.

At the end of the ceremony, I got to go to one of my all-time favorites, Musso & Franks (https://mussoandfrank.com/) to cap off the evening.

Disney has taken this Princess story and is making it into a film. Now that’s what I call a happy ending.