National Adoption Awareness Month: A Princess Found

It's National Adoption Awareness Month! And here is my first contribution of the month (better late than never!).

At the NAIS People of Color Conference 2010, I was thrilled to see that Sarah Culberson, an adult adoptee pictured above, was a featured speaker. Sadly, I was not able to attend her session or book signing, but I did buy her book. As fate would have it, she walked past me in the lobby of her hotel so that book got signed after all!

Sarah Culberson and Traci Trivas write  about her adoption/search/reunion story in A Princess Found: a memoir retold in quick, soundbyte chapters.

Sarah's story inspired me - the courage to share her story and the candor with which she shared. Once she discovered that her father was Sierra Leonean and was able to visit her biological family, she realized her calling to bring healing to the townspeople's lives. She recognized her place of privilege as a way she could give back to the people of Bumpe - to restore their village and to educate their children by rebuilding her father's school. Much like Esther in the Old Testament, she saw that her life had been lived for such a time as this.  She was able to connect her two worlds and unite her families.

As I tweak and revise my own workshop on transracial adoption for this Saturday, I draw strength and encouragment from her story. Many thanks, Sarah, for your courage!

"Mixie" Olympiads!

OK. The Winter Olympics are here. And having experienced the Snowpocalypse on the East Coast, I am actually stuck in the house...I mean, sitting down to watch the events.

Now I know this is NOT about adoption - but I couldn't resist posting about the latest speed skating medalists, Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski. A little background on these athletes: Apolo Ohno's father is Japanese-born and his mother is American. J.R. Celski's father is of Polish descent and his mother is of Filipino descent. Here's a nice article on Apolo and his supportive dad. And if you missed the edge-of-your-seat Short Track: Men's 1500M race, then you can click here to watch it on NBC.com

I can't help feeling a certain sense of pride when I see these mixed Asians! All of my knowledge about "model minority" stereotypes go right out the window. I mean, who cares that these athletes epitomize the "hard-work ethic" that is often attributed to Asian cultures (and absolutely necessary for anyone aspiring to be an Olympic athlete). I'm just elated to see some athletes that look like me. Or more importantly, athletes that my children can identify with.

As I watch the Olympics with my sons, they cheer for Team USA and Team Japan equally.  They know their roots and connect with both countries on some level. And I'm glad to see that they can find someone who "looks like them" in popular media.

I'd love to hear of more "mixie" Olympiads out there. If you've found them, please share!

My Summer Journey

Oh my! Did June go by without a single post? *sigh*

Well, I've been quite busy with being a mother, and with my full-time job. But now that summer has started, it allows me time to work on some personal evaluation and growth. Here's where my summer journey has taken me so far:

I have been able to nurture and explore a little more into my own adoption journey. I started to read "Journey of the Adopted Self" by Betty Jean Lifton. Her writing helped me to discover myself at a key point in my life, however I just could not bring myself to finish this book. Perhaps another time.

I am also taking part in a writing workshop, "Voices of Adoption" that is occurring about once every other month. It's led by Andrea - who also has a blog: The Sought-After. My hope is that between that workshop, blogging and writing on my own, I will be able to continue my journey into my adopted self.

Top on my summer reading list is "Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black" by Gregory Howard Williams. The main motivation for reading this at this time is that Dr. Gregory Williams will visit my workplace (Abington Friends School) on October 22, 2009. However, I look forward to reading his story about being biracial...and wonder what levels I will connect with him as a multiracial adoptee.

Oh, and I think I've discovered a new heroine in diversity work. Her name is Carmen Van Kerckhove (pronounced Van Kurr-Cove), president of the diversity education firm, New Demographic. Her approach to diversity work is exactly what I have been looking for - and to promote - and, she is an Asian mixie, too! Woo-hoo!

Where is your summer journey taking you?