Adoptee Activism in America

One of the highlights in travelling to the Netherlands last month was to finally meet in person Hilbrand Westra, a fellow intercountry adoptee born in South Korea and adopted to the Netherlands, whom I have liaised and worked with since the beginning of ICAV. Not only did I get to meet him in person, share …

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A Filipino Adoptee’s Plea to Not Be Erased

On June 23, 2019July 25, 2022 By Desiree MaruIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Dear Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB) of the Philippines, I'm a 33-year-old Filipino American adoptee and I refuse to be erased. I refuse to be ignored. I was born in the Philippines and it was not my choice to leave. But it is my choice to return as an adult and to regain my citizenship. Because, …

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The Importance of Racial Mirrors

On June 20, 2019May 13, 2020 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The importance of Racial Mirrors in intercountry adoption.

Trauma Triggers

On June 16, 2019June 6, 2019 By jaymekyopoIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Why do some adoptees need to be on the defensive, overly criticizing, put each other down, and posture themselves as aggressors? I understand and respect that we all have varied opinions, thoughts, and information on a very complex subject. We all have unique stories and ideas to share. I think people do this because their …

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New Connections

On May 20, 2019May 18, 2019 By lynellelongIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

At this current moment I'm flying thousands of kilometres through the air to reach my destination - The Hague, Netherlands. It's going to take me 24 hours and you all know what that's like - cramped in a stuffy space with people coughing, kids crying, airplane food, almost-can't-turn-around-in spaces they call "toilets" and trying to …

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Excerpt: First Letter to my Iranian Father

On April 13, 2019April 23, 2019 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Iranian adoptee shares her thoughts (excerpt) to her new found Iranian father.

The Lived Experience of Illicit Intercountry Adoption

On January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 By lynellelongIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

A critical view of intercountry adoption must consider those who have experienced illicit intercountry adoptions.

Crane Mimicry

On December 9, 2018November 30, 2018 By jaymekyopoIn Uncategorized5 Comments

Can a famous example of conservation teach us anything about adoption? Most people can’t see a correlation but I do! Less than a hundred years ago, there were just 16 whooping cranes left in North America. These beautiful majestic birds were near the brink of extinction. Men who over hunted and destroyed the bird’s habitat …

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Stranger Than Fiction

On December 5, 2018November 30, 2018 By jaymekyopoIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

In third grade, I was in Mrs. Peterson’s class and given the assignment to do a family history project. I asked my adoptive parents about the project and they stated my Aunt Eirene had worked on the family tree and traced back across several hundred years. My family automatically skipped the fact that my own …

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Turning Negativity into Positivity with Buddhism

On November 29, 2018July 25, 2022 By Desiree MaruIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Desiree shares her experience of trying Vipassana meditation at a Buddhist retreat, a way to expel her negative energies and a way to deal with adoptee anger.

The Crying Girl

On November 25, 2018November 14, 2018 By jaymekyopoIn Uncategorized3 Comments

How the Korean Government Fails I was stationed in Korea for eight years and have made more than a dozen trips to Korea since I left in 2007. During my last visit to Itaewon, I came across a small bronze statue of a girl sitting on a chair, next to an empty chair, located at …

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Four Murdered Chinese Adoptees

On November 10, 2018April 16, 2020 By Guest BloggerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Joey shares after the death of 4 chinese adoptees.

Being Alone

On November 6, 2018November 6, 2018 By Desiree MaruIn Uncategorized3 Comments

I get up in the morning and I try. That's basically what it's like every morning as an adult adoptee. Whenever I look back in my mind, my past stretches past a million acres of difficult terrain that's emotionally challenging and left psychological imprints on me. An adoptive family I never got that close with. …

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Lost Siblings

On November 2, 2018November 2, 2018 By jaymekyopoIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Remembering My Youth As a child, I remember playing near the burn pits that laid by the small village of unpainted traditional Korean style homes (Hanoks). They nestled below a small outcrop of mountains, located in central Korea. My brother grabbed my hand to take me to see the prize he had found lying in …

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Not Existing

On September 9, 2018April 16, 2020 By lynellelongIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lynelle shares how difficult it can be not knowing who we are or having any documentation.

An Adoptee’s Take on “Crazy Rich Asians”

On August 21, 2018December 8, 2020 By lynellelongIn Uncategorized1 Comment

There are a lot of opinions and pieces surrounding Crazy Rich Asians right now. I am simply adding to the chorus, but from a slightly different perspective as a Chinese American intercountry adopted person. As an adoptee who watched Crazy Rich Asians, it is hard to describe all of the feelings I felt while sitting …

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The Rights of the Child

On August 12, 2018January 3, 2019 By lynellelongIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

UK transracial adoptee shares her thoughts on being adopted.

InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)

Tag: intercountry adoptees