Welcome to The [Inclusion] Conversation Podcast!

Today we hear from our host, Grace Yung Foster about the month of May, all that this month represents, and how we are honoring the intersection of our identities and experiences. 

This podcast dives into the world of work, careers, and life for Adoptees, Foster Care Alumni, our allies, parents, child welfare professionals, policy experts, and all within the Adoptee and Foster's orbit. 

We do need to inform you that this episode does discuss topics that may trigger people who have lived experience as Adoptees and Fosters as we discuss topics around relinquishment, trauma, and mental health. If you are struggling, please seek help and support. You can reach out to us directly for resources: contact@theinclusioninitiative.com and to speak to someone anonymously who can help, the Mental Health Hotline is a great resource: https://mentalhealthhotline.org. The Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 can answer your questions confidentially and free of charge.

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In this episode, we cover: 

Mother’s Day

AANHPIHM (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month)

Foster Care Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

Mother’s Day - Why Being a Mom is so Complex as an Adoptee and Foster 

Foster Care Awareness Month

Stats: About 400,000 youth in foster care. An estimated over 15 million Foster Alumni in the US. The White House released a statement about this month, and it was mostly centered on parents taking in kids. Again, we have a lot of work to do to make sure Fosters are actually the center of the conversation 

AANHPIHM

There have been about half a million people adopted transnationally into the United States, and Asian adoptees constitute about half that number. The largest group of Asian adoptees were born in Korea (~117,000). The second largest group are from mainland China (~97,000).  Most Asian adoptees are adopted into white families. Though we are numerically dominated by Korean and Chinese adoptees, Asian adoptees are a diverse group. In addition to Korean and Chinese adoptees, there are over 10,000 Vietnamese adoptees, over 10,000 Indian adoptees, over 7,000 Filipino adoptees, almost 3000 Taiwanese adoptees, over 2000 Thai adoptees, between 700 and 800 adoptees from Hong Kong and a few hundred Japanese adoptees.

Mental Health Awareness Month

Get the help you need - seek it out. Don’t be afraid to ask and reach out. Seek professional support as well as peer and mentor support 

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Our executive producer is Grace Yung Foster. This show is brought to you by The Inclusion Initiative Media Studio.