Thanks to a mutual connection, I spoke with Jade who works as a complex trauma therapist. I hear about her recent experience with coming out of the fog. As a child, Jade was a camper at Camp Sunrise Inc., a camp that provides volunteer-driven, cost-free camping experiences for children with cancer and their siblings. Present day, Jade volunteers with camp in addition to her day to day work. Jade shares about her experience as a therapist and also has additional resources on instagram. Follow @jadeshapirolcswc and any adoptee therapist or those specializing in mental health, reach out!  Check out Camp Sunrise inc. @camp_sunrise_md. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram and @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

This recording and whole podcast was created as way to help with stress and the up and downs of life. This particular solo recording revisits why the show started, thoughts on freelance, and sharing about our experiences/ stories (amongst others and within the adoption community).  Oohjacquelina Jewelry Also Known As Org Chinese Adoptee Alliance China's Children International  If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram and @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

An-Li spoke about her experience growing up in a small town in Belgium with her sisters. There was a photo spread to show the people in town but it was more awkward than inclusive. This led to a nice conversation about everyone’s curiosity and how we do not owe anyone explanations.  Follow  @am.zxd and @adoptieschakel.connecteert. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram and @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

Note: There are some curse words in this episode. Hannah and I met paddling during Season 1 of VAX Dragon boat. This episode dives into the stories and feelings about identity. From exploring and coping with family to having a cardiac procedure upon coming to the US, we all are here taking it day by day. Hannah also shares some facts about adoption surrounding the One Child Policy based on her research for a personal project. There’s also comedic moments despite the important aspects in life. Follow @h.langr_outside. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram and support @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

Hannah has lived in a few states in the US. Hannah shares about her experience growing up, connection to the environment, and connecting the two in an adoptee archive project. Submissions for the adoptee archive are open till June.  https://hgershone01.github.io/adopteearchive/ Seeds from a Silent Tree anthology If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram and @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

To the first sit down solo episode! A time to reflect on genetics testing, relationships— parents, bad therapy, and hustling. I’ve done voice memos before and those were short but sitting down and recording for about a half hour felt even more cathartic. It’s a huge reason to have started this and also to keep doing it. I am @landoftarashen on instagram.  If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Instagram/ Facebook and @ABCPod venmo. Thank you for listening!

Molly shares her experience and story and  In the process of completing residency. It was wonderful being able to reminisce but also have a conversation we didn’t have when we were teenagers. Molly has known she wanted to be a doctor since a young age, connected to Chinese culture growing up, and visited China a few times. She recently bought a house, got engaged, and adopted a dog. Thank you for sitting down to chat @mowwyjane!   If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook/ Instagram. Thank you for listening!

This recording is from August 2022. There is also conversation about addiction, abuse, and other material. We had to shift our recording platform and the quality may be choppy at times.  ----more----We are here at 60 full episodes! It was wonderful to sit down and speak with TJ over the summer. TJ responded to one of the many social posts asking to hear more adoptee stories. TJ is very open to sharing about her experience and create a channel to share more about other areas of her life experience.  Originally grew up in Massachusetts and then Georgia, TJ shares about the dichotomy with her parents and how her relationship has been impacted since addiction. Follow @tjrozy on instagram. ----more----If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook and Instagram. Thank you for listening!

Abby is a new board member with AKA after becoming a member a year ago and really beginning her exploration with adoption. Abby shares about the origin story of how her parents came to adopt and more about her relationship with identity during adolescence into college. It is wonderful to speak with fellow adoptees who are incorporating their interests into their everyday lives! Abby also has a background in psychology and mental health. Questions for the biological children and siblings– How was growing up with an adoptee? Book rec from another adoptee is How to not die alone by Logan Ury. Follow @abbyrusnak_ and @also.known.asinc. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

I was excited to speak with Alex more about her adoption and career after staying with her dog, Cam. Alex shares memories of how she started to develop an interest in fashion. Also, Alex shared some deep memories from primary education years that many adoptees can relate to. Thank you again @paulybyalexforalexandrapauly for reaching out to me to watch @cam_dog_official. For skin care questions, reach out to Alex! Check out these podcast shows: Ologies, Perfume room, and Fat Mascara. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

Annabelle and I met at the Asian adoptee Global meetup back in April. We sat down and chatted during Mother’s day weekend. I enjoyed the energy and conversation we had about adoption and how Annabelle feels about her journey and relationship with her mother. @annabellexmair on Instagram. Please reach out! Annabelle would love to hear more stories from others. The Brooklyn half marathon was this past weekend. Heart goes out to the runner who passed on after completing their race. Check out great groups and resources @also.known.asinc @fccny @cci_adoptees @adoptee_love. Thank you for listening to ABC. We are on major podcast platforms including Apple and Spotify. Email adoptedbabiesfromchina@ gmail or message adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on instagram if you would like to share your story.

ＮＥＷ ＥＰＩＳＯＤＥ。ＹＥＡＲ3 “I wrote this with the intent and passion to share my story with others and hope it helps them share theirs or find something in their story that resonates or that helps them understand themselves more.” Katie has been working for a few years on her memoir about adoption, loss, and the process of knowing and learning more about oneself. She even got her MFA while writing and now working on finalizing and sharing her story @uprootedmemoir. In addition to writing her story, we both have spoken and grown with one another during our journey over the past 5 years. Between moves and friendships coming and going, the two of us have maintained our connection. I asked Katie to come and share more about UPROOTED as well as her perspective on connecting with the adoptee community. Both of us have learned a lot from the community and NYC. Check out @uprootedmemoir page as well as other great groups and resources @also.known.asinc @fccny @cci_adoptees @adoptee_love If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

Hello year 3! It may be something we hope has ended but not something we have forgotten. Kate shared her experience studying and working in China. It was nice to sit down with Kate's adoption experience on this first episode of entering year 3. Follow Kate @kateququdavis If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening! Also anyone who knows Chinese adoptees or has met adoptees and became a big part of your life. I would love to hear your story too.

Happy two years! I didn’t pick the timing but it so happens this one is the first to have a return guest. Part 2 with Danny, host of The Shape of a Star Podcast received some news. He is a Chinese adoptee from Hong Kong (Italian and Chinese parents) who spoke on Episode 33 from May 23, 2021. He thought he knew all about his story but then - Aghast and shock! The news was fresh, recorded on March 23, 2022 only hours after the discovery in his family’s story. The Shape of a Star Podcast is live on all podcast platforms. Follow @theshapeofastarpodcast on instagram and Facebook, @theshapeofastar on twitter, or email theshapeofastarpodcast@gmail.com. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

I had the opportunity to speak with Kelli about her adoption to Japanese American parents. Kelli is at a university in California with a focus on Asian American and plans to pursue more research and education in the future. This conversation has resources and explanations about Asian American and adoption. @kaleidoscope_for_kelli on instagram where you can see her art! If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

On this episode of ABC, witness how social connection in real life relationships can be built. Amanda and I connected on instagram through the podcast account and then we met two days later at an Also Known As Inc. event. I was able to speak with Amanda in person and also here about her short film, Yuan Fen. This is a project Amanda worked on in her senior year of undergraduate with a team of 40 people or so including 3 advisors, composer, and others. It was really cool to hear about the inception of this short and how it came to fruition. Spoiler alert on her short film and also about Lilo & Stitch. Amanda shares more about her own experiences with her adoption growing up and how the red thread connection holds a key place in her perceptions. We (me) dived into Pixar animation as well as other pop culture from our adolescent years. Watch Yuan Fen short by Amanda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n14eUqZ1h0 and follow her on instagram @amanda_sparso. Turning red premieres March 11. If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

It’s a Valentine’s episode with @hopeeatsnyc. Hope is a chef, musician, and Chinese adoptee I met via Also Known As. There is some talk about relationships but mostly the conversation is about food and how we have related to Chinese culture being adoptees.  Hope and her sister were engaged with their adoption for as long as they can remember and now getting closer to 30, she started to connect more to identity and adoption in her own way. Follow @hopeeatsnyc for NYC eats and her cooking. Too Good To Go is an app helping to save food from being thrown out. You can check out a more in depth conversation about Hope's experience with food and cooking on on @captaincooksfood Show Spicy Memories @spotify! 🥟. Happy Birthday to your sister Hope! Sale Candy day is indeed tomorrow. Everyone get ready 💝 If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

It’s the 50th episode! Happy Lunar New Year 2022 to those who celebrate. This episode is a solo short one without the usual intro because I am playing back the trailer and inserting some reflective thoughts. Lives we impacted– So far only have spoken to friends close to me and learned about their view of friendship with me or their own stories and challenges growing up. We are all human and despite the adoption focus here, I don’t think I would’ve heard these stories from others. Adopted from Ningbo– Correct pronunciation in this one? Since starting this show, I did pick up learning and practicing with others in mandarin. My neighbor and her friend speak the dialect from Ningbo which is pretty surreal! Haven’t spoken to other adoptees too much– but now I have. From other parts of North America and being introduced to others in Europe and even Australia through this experience. Katie shared about her passion for writing and speaking about adoption and it still remains to this day. The emotion/ complexities behind it even when things have happened in our life. @Somewherebetween.fam on IG - Lunar New Year Episode, Chinese adoptees  If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

As we all go through the various moments and stages of identifying with our adoption, community and reflection are always helpful. Mary decided to focus her video documentary thesis on Chinese adoptees while also connecting with the community. This conversation gives more insight into our parents who are our blood and to the parents who raise us. We are also not obligated to others for the decisions and choices related to our own adoption experiences. Follow Mary @maryy.ri. Shout out to @bebensmith If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!

Victoria is from Wisconsin…. no no. Victoria is really from China like most of the guests on this show. Happy New Year, not yet Lunar New year to all! This first episode of 2022 contains some adult language. We also have special guest, Carmella (Victoria’s cat) It is fitting Victoria shares about her experience with finding communities that helped her build strong relationships throughout the ongoing pandemic. Also, I hear from Victoria about thoughts on children and funny anecdotes from her trip back to China. @bananafish4011 on instagram. Shout out to @Adoptee_love and adoptee.portraits If you would like to share your story please email adoptedbabiesfromchina@gmail.com or @adoptedbabiesfromchinapod on Facebook, Instagram, and @ChineseAdoptPod on Twitter. Thank you for listening!