Category: USA

When search doesn’t lead to reunion: A Bulgarian adoptee’s reality

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Names, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Adoption questions, Bulgaria, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Finding biological mother, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Searching but no reunion in adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in Adoption, USA1 Comment

Nicole, adopted from Bulgaria, shares the painful reality of searching for origins, identity, and family—while learning to live without answers.

Intercountry adoptees taking legal action and reclaiming our rights

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Advocacy, Australia, Belgium, Birth Parents Searching, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Citizenship in Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ethiopia, Forced separation, France, Generational trauma, Germany, Gratitude in Adoption, Guatemala, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Justice Routes, Korea, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, UK, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, USA, Vietnam, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Intercountry adoptees worldwide are taking legal action to expose illegal adoptions, demand truth, and push for justice, accountability, and human rights reform.

Abandoned: its meaning and context

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Names, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption questions, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Ethiopia, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Andrea Kay helps us uncover the truth beyond the label 'abandoned' with DNA searching—bringing hope and rediscovery to Ethiopian adoptees and their families.

Book Review: Somewhere Sisters & Daughters of the Bamboo Grove

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Birth parents speak out, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in Adoption, Twins in adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle reviews Somewhere Sisters and Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, exploring identity, nature vs. nurture, and the truths of twins separated by intercountry adoption.

Self Reflections

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee vulnerability, Art therapy, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Poetry by Adoptees, Racial Mirrors, Russia, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Hannah reflects as a Russian Asian intercountry adoptee on identity, belonging, loss, and the emotional complexities of adoption.

Intercountry adoptees as transracial immigrants in the USA

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Citizenship in Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Is adoption the best option, Late Discovery Adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Politics of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Kris shares the realities faced as a transracial intercountry adoptee in the USA, alert for racial profiling and fearing harmful interactions.

Thoughts from Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

On By lynellelongIn Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Documentary, Adoptive parents, Birth Parents Searching, Birth parents speak out, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Suicide, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Lynelle shares her thoughts after watching Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, on Netflix.

Addressing Sexual Abuse in Intercountry Adoption

On By lynellelongIn Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Adoptive parents, Alternatives to Adoption, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Gratitude in Adoption, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Philippines, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Puerto Rico, Racism in Adoption, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Romania, Russia, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Suicide, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper on Sexual Abuse experiences of intercountry adoptees helping to elevate their voices and advocate for much needed supports.

Adopted from Moldova

On By Guest BloggerIn Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption and Disability, Alcohol and drug addiction, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Maldova, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, Special Medical Conditions, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Jacky shares about growing up with fragmented memories of their birth country Moldova and adjustments to fit in with life and family in the USA.

What do I want from my adoptive parents?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Australia, Belgium, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Difficult discussions in adoption, France, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, India, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Norway, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, Uncategorized, USALeave a comment

Lynelle shares what she would have wanted from her adoptive parents in response to the fraud and human rights abuses in her adoption.

Returning Home to Greece

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Greece, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, USALeave a comment

Mary Cardaras shares her thoughts about returning to birth country Greece having been raised and adopted into the USA.

A formal apology for an illegal intercountry adoption

On By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption reform, Alcohol and drug addiction, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Guatemala, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, USA, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

A historic day in Guatemala with an apology to a family who were torn apart by illegal intercountry adoption. English translation provided.

Tips and Suggestions for Returning to Birth Country

On By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Iran, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, UK, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper offering global tips and suggestions for those considering returning for the first time to their birth country.

Returning To Reclaim

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Ethiopia, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Marta shares the complexities of returning to Ethiopia, meeting bio family, and provides tips and suggestions for other adoptees who might be facing the same.

The Realities of Adoption and Reunion

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Ethiopia, Family Preservation, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Marta shares the realities of reunion with her Ethiopian family.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 2

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, China, China, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Emma shares her reflections as a Chinese intercountry adoptee having lived in China as a MSW student at NYU Shanghai.

In Honour of the time before Adoption Day

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Hollee shares the complexities of life before adoption and balancing the losses and gains through adoption.

USA Virtual Fair

On By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, China, Citizenship in Adoption, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Ethiopia, Greece, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle shares the recording of the USA Virtual Fair held on 1 June 2024 showcasing 20 intercountry adoptee led organisation who provide support to adoptees.

Our separation bears down on both of us

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Jillian shares her artwork expressing the shared grief and loss of the many years of separation between her South Korean mother and herself before reunion.