With just days before the 134th Rose Parade, this year’s royal court is making history. Angie Crouch reports for the NBC4 News on Dec. 29, 2022.
We are just days away from the 134th Rose Parade and this year the royal court is making history.
For the first time ever the court will include a member of the deaf community.
Salia Baligh, 17, is brushing up on the history of the Rose Parade.
Checking out past queens as she prepares to make her own entrance on the world stage.
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Baligh is making history as the first person to represent the deaf community as a princess on the rose parade royal court.
“When I was 5 years old - being a Pasadena girl - I never thought a girl with hard of hearing could ever be a princess but I wanted to prove them wrong,” Baligh said.
Baligh was born without ear canals and underwent several surgeries to try and correct her hearing loss.
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She now uses a cochlear hearing aid attached to a headband - which has helped her thrive at Pasadena's Alverno heights academy.
And even serve as captain of her school’s basketball team.
Baligh says her parents taught her that she could overcome any obstacle.
“Because hard work will beat talent any day - because when talent fails to work hard - that’s when the person next to you is going to work harder.” Baligh said.
As a member of the royal court Baligh attends more than 140 public events during her reign - doing community service work and speaking to young people.
She hopes taking center stage at the rose parade will inspire others in the deaf community.
“When I was younger I didn't want to wear a hearing aid.. I thought it was so uncool. So maybe the Tournament of Roses. Over 40 million people watch this and if some little girl or boy can watch me, see that I'm embracing my hearing aid - maybe they’ll want to embrace it too,” Baligh said.
Baligh hopes to one day become a doctor to specialize in treating patients with hearing loss.
But for now - she’s working on perfecting that princess wave for Monday's parade.
