Sabrina Saleha | The Story of Us, NC
Special | 6m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
Sabrina Saleha strives to amplify stories of indigenous people and the land they lived on.
"My American story started when..." Four years ago, actor, writer and activist Sabrina Saleha of Kernersville, NC, moved into an RV to tour the country, one National Park at a time. Through her business, Sabrina, who is both Dine Navajo of the Bitter Water clan and Bangladeshi, strives to amplify the stories of indigenous people and the lands they lived on, including the National Parks.
Sabrina Saleha | The Story of Us, NC
Special | 6m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
"My American story started when..." Four years ago, actor, writer and activist Sabrina Saleha of Kernersville, NC, moved into an RV to tour the country, one National Park at a time. Through her business, Sabrina, who is both Dine Navajo of the Bitter Water clan and Bangladeshi, strives to amplify the stories of indigenous people and the lands they lived on, including the National Parks.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> my name is Sabrina Saleha I am an actor and writer and entrepreneur.
♪ I love to read about my culture and I have Meet Me in the Parks as my business to encourage other people to go explore the National parks in the United States and also to encourage the park system to include more of the indigenous narrative and their storytelling.
♪ >> My American story started when I was born, cliche but I am half Navajo and I'm half Bangladeshi, I am both indigenous to this land and daughter of an immigrant.
So my perspective and upbringing I feel gives me a well-rounded understanding of what it means to be an American.
What it means to pre-exist the term American.
my ancestors are from these lands and to be a first generation American on my dad's side.
>> I grew up in Kernersville, North Carolina growing up in a household, with 2 different beautiful cultures, 2 different languages, different religions and then growing up in a predominantly white community was pretty tough for me.
In second grade there was a standardized test and you have to fill in the boxes for your race and they didn't know what to fill in or which box I was, and honestly, that carried throughout most of my life, feeling pretty isolated.
>> this is where I live!
>> So me and my husband, we're van lifers, we've lived in this for transit Van for about a year and a half, almost 2 years so this is where I live.
Welcome to my home.
♪ >> About 4 years ago, my husband and I lived in Raleigh in an apartment, But we noticed that we just weren't using a lot of the space and at the time we were traveling a lot that's when we moved into a jeep camper full time, and now we're in the van full time for about two years.
A lot of our life is based around the National parks and it's something that I really love and enjoy, I know for me, when I visit them I love to learn about the history and the land and I think It is our duty to share the full narrative of the national parks and share which indigenous land it is on.
So my mission with my business Meet Me in the Parks is to share more of the indigenous narrative of the national parks.
>> So we love getting stamped with our passports at the National Parks.
We have this one, And we have a little baby ones.
Here's the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina.
Walking you through our photos.
So here's my hubby and I going to Yellowstone for the first time.
This statue is a native statue called Dignity in South Dakota.
Okay, yes, I'm a grown woman with a teddy bear.
But it kind of means a lot to me.
My mom got me this and this means a lot to me because this teddy bear is made from -- one of my brothers got me t-shirts and he loved Batman.
The hardest thing that life has thrown at me is losing my brother.
He was 17, I was 20 and so often growing up, being the only brown kid in class and stuff.
It was isolating but, it was OK because I had my brother.
It wasn't just me.
As his big sister I hope that my brother is proud in that I will carry his name in everything I do.
My brother's name was Eric Hamid This for you.
I love you little brother.
♪ >> You know, I hope that we see representation and more stories told among all cultures.
Native Americans to be on screen, to be in media and to be in writing, not as a stereotype.
♪ People have different beliefs and different thoughts and different cultures and it's really important to listen to better understand someone.
Listening, and having someone's voice heard is the greatest gift to be seen.
♪ >> PBS American portrait is, >> a platform where >> people can go to in order to share their experiences.
>> I took a risk when >> when I was 18 and joined the Marine Corps >> and it's been an amazing journey ever since.
>> this project can help bring us together >> to understand what it really means to be an American.
>> So join in, >> go to PBS >> .org >> slash American portrait.
>> Join us and be a part of American History.
