Category: Racial Mirrors

Toxicity and Grief

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Philippines, Racial Mirrors, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

by Dan R Moen, adopted from the Philippines to the USA. Part three of this series focuses on toxicity and its impact with grief. The black vine-like shapes represent toxicity and how it manifests itself within and around all of us. It’s depicted as an uncontrollable beast and has completely engulfed an individual. It grows …

Continue reading Toxicity and Grief

Integrating the Parts in Adoption

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Breakdown / Failure, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Motherloss, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Bina shares about the fragmentation adoptees endure in order to survive and the grief work we must do to reintegrate our dual selves.

Dear Dad, You are Still Racist

On By Guest BloggerIn Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Haiti, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA7 Comments

Mae adopted from Haiti shares the complexities of being trafficked and having a racist dad

I Don’t See Colour!

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Antiracism Education, Beauty in Diversity, Birth Country, Colourblindness in adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption1 Comment

ICAV Blogger Collaborative Series #2 addressing adoption colour blindness.

Identity, Lost & Found

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive parents, Beauty in Diversity, Colombia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Family Preservation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Peer Support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA2 Comments

Abby reflects on reclaiming her Latina identity after growing up in a white Jewish family, highlighting the impact of adoption practices on self-worth and cultural connection.

Not Helpful

On By julietteviaIn Adjustment and Transition, Complexities in Adoption, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Holidays are tough for adoptees, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Relationships Struggles, reunion trauma, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption3 Comments

Juliette shares on what's not helpful - we just need to be respectfully heard!

You Can’t Counsel Yourself into Belonging

On By julietteviaIn adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees are not blank slates, Adoptees Educate, adoption conversations, Adoption Conversations, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, Biological Connections Matter, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Peer support, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption4 Comments

Juliette shares her thoughts after watching Red Table Talk episode featuring Angela Tucker, transracial adoptee.

What is in our “Best Interests” as Intercountry Adopted People?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees are not blank slates, Adoptees Educate, adoption and power imbalance, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, Biological Connections Matter, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Peer support, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Relationships Struggles, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

A collection of adoptee thoughts on "Best Interests of the Child" should mean.

Not My Adopted Child!

On By julietteviaIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees are not blank slates, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Breakdown / Failure, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption questions, adoptive parent defensiveness, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Biological Connections Matter, colourblindness in adoption, Colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Malaysia, Not Knowing in Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Relationships Struggles, Return to Birth Country, reunion trauma, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UK9 Comments

Juliette shares about how adoptive parents can't see the reality of their own adopted child.

Adoptee Body Keeps Score

On By julietteviaIn adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees are not blank slates, Adoptees Educate, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Not Knowing in Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Relationships Struggles, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Juliette Lam shares about the adoptee experience of our body knowing the truth of our traumas.

Gabby Mentors Young Chinese Adoptees via Art

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, China, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption2 Comments

Gabby Malpas shares her talent by mentoring younger Chinese adoptees through her artwork.

The Power of Peer Support

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, ICAV Beginnings, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle writes critically about the power of peer support in intercountry adoption.

Vulnerable children are not blank slates

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, China, China, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Trauma in Adoption, USA5 Comments

Lynelle critically examines the gains from including adult intercountry adoptees in policy discussions and shares Joey's story, a male Chinese adoptee.

Colombian Intercountry Adoptee Anthology

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Birthdays, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Alcohol and drug addiction, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, DNA Searching, Eating Disorder and Adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Origins Search, Poetry by Adoptees, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

The first Colombian intercountry adoptee anthology that shares the many complexities of being adopted from Colombia, edited and compiled by Abby Forero-Hilty.