The Adoption Files

Mary Kae Kelsch was adopted in 1970 in North Dakota, but was she born there? Where is her birth certificate located? Please join as we talk about the laws in North Dakota and Minnesota, about reunion, and about the importance of every voice. Mentioned in the episode:https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/adoption.htmlhttps://adopteerightslaw.com/north-dakota/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057773/The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join us for the conclusion of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person fraudulently adopted to Canada as an infant in 1991. Adriana can be found on social media @adriana.citizenornowhere on ig and TikTok.More of Adrianas story can be found using the links below. Adriana was the subject of a documentary in French, as well as several news aritcles. A link to an English translation is included below. https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2024/12/07/adoption-et-trafic-denfants-en-roumanie-une-quebecoise-part-a-la-recherche-de-sa-veritable-identitehttp://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203240http://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203241You can support the work of Echoes From Home by donating to their efforts to provide DNA testing for Romanian and Roma adopted people and their families. Please use the link below to visit their page on FBhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562822742468&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=Y1Sywgo8oI2TBW2Z&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1F9LtvsUd9%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#You can also help Adriana with her mounting expenses by donating to her gofundme. The podcast always encourages listeners to research and confirm information whenever making donations to any fundraiser or organization. https://www.gofundme.com/f/adriana-sapproprie-sa-vrai-identite?attribution_id=sl:52b49f82-71bd-4128-a568-069984fe5967&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_linkThe Never Forgotten Children group was instrumental in helping Adriana. They may be found at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/373713406098147IThe opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening! If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to rate the show. This will help make the podcast easier for others to find and enjoy. Thank you.

Please join us for Part 3 of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person trafficked to Canada for the purpose of adoption, who only recently discovered she was adopted under another persons name. This was meant to be the conclusion to the three part series, but we experienced a technical difficulty. The conclusion to the series will be up soon. Adriana can be found on social media on Ig and Tiktok @adriana.citizenofnowhereFor people interested in helping support Adriana in her efforts to establish an identity secure her citizenship rights, and begin her life as her own person (at 35!), here is a link to the gofundme set up to help her. https://www.gofundme.com/f/adriana-sapproprie-sa-vrai-identite?attribution_id=sl:52b49f82-71bd-4128-a568-069984fe5967&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_linkAdriana has also set up a foundation to help others in similar situations to herself. DNA has become a vital resource help reunite families. By supporting Echoes From Home, you support the purchase of DNA test kits to make reunion possible. https://www.facebook.com/people/Echoes-From-Home/61562822742468/The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join us for part two of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person fraudulently transported to Canada for adoption under another persons name. She only recently discovered her true identity and status, while also learning that Canada has known since 2015. Adriana can be found at: @adriana.citizenofnowhere on both TikTok and InstagramMentioned in the episode and related information:https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2024/12/07/adoption-et-trafic-denfants-en-roumanie-jamais-je-nai-remis-en-question-la-legalite-de-ladoption-confie-la-maman-adoptive-dune-enfant-roumainehttps://www.tvaplus.ca/tva/j-e/saison-32/episode-936-adoption-ou-trafic-humain-1590008641http://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203240https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562822742468&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=q1XnOGVu7FEm83PW&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1F9LtvsUd9%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#http://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203241If you would like to help Adriana continue in her efforts , please donate to her GoFundMe. The podcast always encourages everyone to verify for themselves information prior to making donations. https://www.gofundme.com/f/adriana-sapproprie-sa-vrai-identite?attribution_id=sl:52b49f82-71bd-4128-a568-069984fe5967&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_linkThe host and their guest(s) opinions are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional.

In 1991, Adriana was trafficked to Canada from Romania . Hers was the last private adoption allowed before the changing of laws governing children internationally adopted from Romania. Please join us as we talk about how she discovered the reality of her adoption as a person raised with a fraudulent origin story. Mentioned in the episode:https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2024/12/07/adoption-et-trafic-denfants-en-roumanie-une-quebecoise-part-a-la-recherche-de-sa-veritable-identite-1https://gettotext.com/quebec-government-aware-of-adoption-irregularities-in-romanian-child-case-for-nine-years/https://adoptedfromromania.ro/https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadians/adopt-child-abroad/processes.htmlhttps://www.quebec.ca/en/family-and-support-for-individuals/pregnancy-parenthood/adoption/international-adoptionhttps://www.rferl.org/a/32213639.htmlThe opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join me as I talk with Lorah Gerald about her experience taking course modules presented by the NTI as well as working as a presenter and collaborator as they increase their knowledge base. Lorah can be found as The Adopted Chameleon on Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram. Mentioned in the episode:NTI Training: Expert Adoption Support for Professionals | C.A.S.E.Prioritizing trauma-informed careAccess to Adoption Records - Oklahoma | Child Welfare Information GatewayMaternal-infant bonding by Marshall H. Klaus | Open LibraryEmbodiment: A Conceptual Deep Dive | Meridian University(PDF) The psychobiology of early attachmentMother-infant cosleeping, breastfeeding and sudden infant death syndrome: What biological anthropology has discovered about normal infant sleep and pediatric sleep medicineThe opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a therapist, a lawer or an adoption professional. List of Hotlines for Mental Health HelpThank you for listening!

Please join me as I speak with non-adoptee Andrea Coates and adoptee Greg Gentry as we discuss Greg's pursuit of his non-identifying information from the state of California. Andreas experience as a Search Angel informs how she goes about helping. Greg and Andrea are romantic partners, which brings a layer of complexity to the search. How might non-adopted people be present for adopted people as they pursue their documents?Mentioned in the episode:California adoption law: Adoption RecordsCalifornia Department of Social Services: Home | California Dept. of Social ServicesSome resources for people interested in learning more about how adoption affects the adopted person:Adoptees OnAdoptee Reading: An Adoption Book Catalog - Books Written & Recommended By Adoptees(2) InterCountry Adoption News | Facebook(2) Adoption: Facing Realities | FacebookAdoptees United | Identity, Citizenship, EqualityAdoptee Rights Law Center PLLCAdoptees on Tiktok, IG, Bluesky.There are so many.mhcc_Trauma-IRL-Tips_A4-2.pdfThe host and their guests' opinions are just that, our opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional.

Please join me as I speak with Connor Howe, a California(but also an Irish!) adopted person who has grown up as one of the first generation of "Open" adoptees. After the birth of his child, Connor began to deconstruct from the adoption narrative. As a marketing professional, Connor brings both his lived experience as a young adoptee in open adoption and his education and work experience to the conversation. Connor is known as Adopted Connor on social media and can be found at: Adopted Connor (@adopted_connor) • Instagram photos and videos Adopted Connor - YouTube (7) Facebook @adoptedconnor.bsky.social Mentioned in the episode: Georgia Tann: Georgia Tann - Wikipedia Agency price lists: Every agency, public and private, keeps price lists, usually referred to as fee listings. I found a large number of articles the discuss the fees and fee structures but am not interested in posting them here. If you want to subject yourself to the experience, just google average costs to adopt. Financial reports for non-profits: all non-profits are required by the IRS to report their financials each year and make them publicly available. Note: just because an organization calls themselves a non-profit does not mean money is not being made. Take note of monies spent on advertising, legal fees, home studies, employee payroll, etc. You may find that many of the people hired by the non-profits are affiliated in some way with the org itself-in-laws, board members, other family members, etc. Many are affiliated with churches as well. Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica History of sealed birth certificates in the United States: BB: A History of Sealed Records in the United States | Bastard Nation Adoption Law: Adoptee Rights Law Center PLLC California adoption law: California | Adoptee Rights Law Center Irish Citizenship: Citizenship | Department Of Foreign Affairs | Ireland.ie | Ireland.ie Catholic Church and forced adoption: For Decades, Churches Forced Unwed Mothers Into Adoptions | Sojourners Ireland’s shame: reforming an adoption system marked by secrecy and trauma The Adoption Machine: The Dark History of Ireland's Mother and Baby Homes and the Inside Story of How 'Tuam 800' Became a Global Scandal: Redmond, Paul Jude, Daly, Clare: 9781785371776: Amazon.com: Books The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join me as I talk with Andrea and Greg about the challenges of being in an adoptee/non-adoptee relationship. We recognize that this is just one couples relationship. Some of the topics discussed will feel relevant to many others in similar situations. Mentioned in the episode: Air Supply: A band from the 80s that specialized in ballads. They are either one of the worst things to come out of the time period, or a beloved rock band. You decide. Adoptees Connect: Where Adoptee Voices Meet – An Adoptee Centric Connect Group Fog Lift: Fog Lift — Reckoning with The Primal Wound: A Documentary Untangling our Roots: Homepage - Untangling Our Roots The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join me and my guest Andrea Steiner Coates as we revisit the topic of adoptee/non-adoptee conversations. Curiosity is a necessary component. Andrea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Search Angel, and adoptee advocate and ally. Be advised: this episode contains references to suicide and suicidal ideation. Mentioned or referenced in the episode: The Girls Who Went Away Amazon.com: The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade (Audible Audio Edition): Ann Fessler, Coleen Marlo, Tantor Audio: Books Adoptees on: Adoptees On Anne Heffron: ANNE HEFFRON Laureen Pitman The Lies That Bind: An Adoptee's Journey Through Rejection, Redirection, DNA, and Discovery: Pittman, Laureen, Martin, Angie, Martin, Angie: 9781793142979: Amazon.com: Books Untangling our Roots: Homepage - Untangling Our Roots The Alliance for the study of adoption and culture Alliance for the Study of Adoption & Culture Fog Lift Fog Lift — Reckoning with The Primal Wound: A Documentary Fireside (15) Fireside Adoptees Public Page | Facebook The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Need to talk to someone? (Warmlines) National Hotline for Mental Health Crises and Suicide Prevention | NAMI Mental health helplines | healthdirect National Suicide Prevention Helpline Uk » Home 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline - Canada.ca The Trevor Project - Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Young People RAINN | The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization

Please join me as I talk with Rena Joy. Rena is a Canadian adoptee, adopted as a toddler from foster care. Rena recently published her first book, a poetry collection titled Almost Loved. On this episode, Rena shares some of her poetry as we talk about how adoption has impacted her life, and some of the ways she copes with the trauma inherent in adoption. Rena can be found at: rena joy poetry | author Amazon.com: Almost Loved: 9781069038128: Joy, Rena, Leigh, Shelby: Books Rena Joy Poetry | Love & Healing Quotes (@renajoypoetry) • Threads, Say more and @renajoypoetry on Instagram and TikTok Please be aware that suicide and suicidal ideation are mentioned on the episode. If you are experiencing suicidal ideation, please reach out for help and support. I am including some of the hotline information here in the notes. 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline - Canada.ca The Trevor Project - Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Young People RAINN | The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization We're all EARS | WARMLINE.ORG Mentioned in the show: Somatic Therapy Somatic Therapy | Psychology Today The host and their guests opinions are just that, opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join me as I talk with Lorah Gerald about the courage required to navigate life as an adopted person, and as an advocate for the rights of children and adopted people. Lorah is a Baby Scoop Era, domestic, same race adopted person. Lorah is also known as The Adopted Chameleon, and can be found at Lorah Gerald (@theadoptedchameleon) • Instagram photos and videos (20+) Facebook Lorah Gerald, The Adopted Chameleon | Kundalini Yoga Classes/Videos, Community, Support Group | Patreon She can also be found on tiktok, and as a guest and speaker on a number of podcasts and events. Read on the episode today: https://www.facebook.com/TheAdoptedChameleon/posts/pfbid02NV7744DZ2Qy2JVMqHvGeSrmY2ZiCr9xyfnT9c7AGCN6wMBuwTpbnBNKtMdmJu4bjl What is NAAM? About National Adoption Month | Child Welfare Information Gateway The opinions of the host and their guests are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Please join Haley and I as we speak about pursuing identity in Alberta, Canada. We also talk about finding community in the process of navigating the challenges of being adopted. Haley Radke is a domestically adopted person from Alberta Canada. Seeking answers and connection, she began a podcast to help her feel less alone with the traumas of adoption. In the process, she has grown as an individual while also inspiring others. Haley can be found on numerous social media platforms. Please visit her website for more information about her podcast, mentoring work, speaking engagements, Patreon and more. Our Host — Adoptees On mentioned in the episode: Poutine: Poutine - WikipediaNanaimo Bars Recipe20200225_bill-048.pdf Are Alberta Adoption Records About to Become More Accessible?I Would Meet You Anywhere — Susan Kiyo Ito[Birth Mother] First Mother Forum: RIP: The fire behind adoption reform, Florence FisherOpen Adoption Records | Government of Prince Edward Island- yes, you can be fined and/or imprisoned in this province if you knowingly violate a contact preference form Mental health support: get help - Canada.ca The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional Thank you for listening!

Please join me for a brief episode of the podcast. This is from a blog post I wrote in September of 2021. The opinion of the host is just that, their opinion. The host is not a lawyer, or a therapist or an adoption professional. Thanks for listening!

As part of NAAM, here is another short blog post from the early days of The Adoption Files.

Please join me as I speak with TJ Johnson. TJ is a musician, English teacher and Baby Scoop Era adopted person. She writes on Medium as The Onyx Phoenix. She contributed to the anthology Strangers by Adoption. The Onyx Phoenix. – Medium An Open Letter To My Father. An adoptee writes a letter to her… | by The Onyx Phoenix. | Adoptere: Auditing the Narrative | Oct, 2024 | Medium The Onyx Phoenix (@redbyrde1960) | TikTok This conversation is part of our effort to amplify the voices of adopted people and others impacted by adoption during the month of November. Please be aware that this episode includes graphic descriptions of child abuse. Mentioned in the episode: Amazon.com: Strangers By Adoption: 10 Adoptees Share Their Stories of Rejection and Abuse: 9780578495743: Sippel, Doris Michol, Musser, Sandy, Sippel, Doris Michol, Musser, Sandy, Sippel, Doris Michol, Yarrow, Patricia Vivien: BooksHome - Saving Our SistersPound Pup LegacyMoses Farrow The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional. Every state and region had its own child abuse reporting laws and helplines. We are including the link to the national helpline. If you know or suspect that a child is being abused, please report. National Child Abuse Hotline - Childhelp Thank you.

As a part of NAAM, I am sharing a reading of my very first blog post. Thank you for listening!

Please join me as I speak with Baby Scoop Era, domestic adoptee Sophi Richman Fletcher. Sophi shares with us a piece she wrote on the search for her father, what she discovered, and how her discovery has been pivotal in her own self-empowerment. Sophi can be found on Facebook as Sophi Richman Fletcher. Sophi welcomes questions about the search process and on managing expectations in search and reunion. She can be messaged through FB Messenger. Mentioned in the show: No Apologies for Being Me, a blog by The Adopted Genealogist, Lynn Grubb Lynn Grubb (noapologiesforbeingme.blogspot.com) The Sunshine Boys: Southern Gospel History - Sunshine Boys (sghistory.com) National Adoption Awareness Month was established to promote adoption. Adopted people have been working to reframe the conversation centering the voices of adult adopted people in order to shift the prevailing narrative. There are many resources that people can explore to learn more about the deconstruction of the adoption narrative. We encourage listeners to listen to podcasts produced by adoptees, read books and articles, and visit adoptee produced content on IG, FB, Tiktok and X, as well as blogs on blogspot, wordpress, substack and other platforms. The opinion of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional. Thank you for listening!

Hi! As we begin yet another National Adoption Awareness Month, the podcast will be sharing on the history and function of the event, along with the stories and perspectives of some of us who are impacted by adoption. Mentioned in the podcast today: About National Adoption Month | Child Welfare Information Gateway Data and Statistics: AFCARS | The Administration for Children and Families https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R43025/11 US Adoption Statistics | Adoption Network Places you can find information on the experiences of adoptees and mothers who are deconstructing from the adoption narrative: this podcast! Adoptees of Tiktok Adoptees on IG Adoptees on Twitter(X) The many podcasts hosted by adopted people Adoptees United | Identity, Citizenship, Equality Where Adoptee Voices Meet – An Adoptee Centric Connect Group Adoptee Rights Law Center PLLC Adoptees for Justice Home | ARC There are many state based adoptee rights groups also: California Alliance for Adoptee Rights, Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights, Adoptee Advocates of Michigan, Virginia Alliance for Adoptee Rights, Texas Adoptee Rights Coalition, and more. Adoption Trauma Network (@adoptiontraumanet) • Instagram photos and videos Adoptee Reading: An Adoption Book Catalog - Books Written & Recommended By Adoptees Concerned United Birthparents The Family Preservation Project – Where Moms and Resources Meet Home - Saving Our Sisters The opinions of the podcast host are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional. The host is a Late Discovery, Baby Scoop Era, Intercountry, Same Race Adopted person whose identity also intersects with the LGBTQ and the Disabled community. Thank you for listening!

Please join the host and their guest Dani Joy as we continue talking about the challenges of deconstructing from our beliefs around adoption and religion. This episode, we explore the ways in which entitlement intersects with and is reinforced by the religious and adoption narratives that we were raised with. Entitlement: There are a lot of different dictionaries with slightly different definitions of the concept of entitlement. We used the Oxford Dictionary definition. I am also providing a link to another definition. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/entitlement Understanding the Trauma Brain | Psychology Today The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade: Fessler, Ann: 9780143038979: Amazon.com: Books How to Have Difficult Conversations | Psychology Today About RAINN | RAINN National Hotline for Mental Health Crises and Suicide Prevention | NAMI The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, therapist or adoption professional.