USA Representative
Kayla is an intercountry, transracial, and transcultural adoptee from China who was adopted into a white family living in Maryland, USA. Found outside of a hospital in a northern province, Kayla lived in an orphanage till the age of 3 years old and has little knowledge of her origins. Raised in a predominately white environment with limited connection to her Chinese identity or culture, Kayla learned to navigate the complexities of her conservative white family.
Through her own experiences, connecting with other adoptees, and studying different institutions of power, she has dived into the work of advocating for adoptee rights.
Kayla has proudly claimed her Chinese heritage and identity and uses her journey to help other adoptees do the same. She aims to authentically tell her story and leverage education to not only uplift adoptees unfiltered stories, but work to dismantle institutions, and cycles of exploitation in the realm of adoption.
Kayla is proud to work with ICAV as a representative and continue her advocacy. She hopes to lift up adoptee voices and fight for truth in adoption narratives.