Description

In this episode, we welcome Keri Friedman and Jennifer Conn. Keri is a Chinese adoptee who will soon be graduating college with a degree in Psychology and is currently interning at Adoptions From The Heart. Jennifer is a Korean adoptee who works with adoptees and families as a licensed social worker and child and family therapist. She also serves on the AFTH Board of Directors. Our discussion ranged from highlighting some of the generational differences among Asian adoptees to the many aspects of their experiences that are similar including challenges relating to transracial adoption, confronting the globalization of Western beauty standards and shaping their identity over time.

Episode Highlights

• Learning about adoption from a young age
• Transracial adoption - children understand and notice race at a very young age
• Different generations have different levels of documentation available about adoption
• DNA testing to learn more about self and make possible biological connections
  • Korea now has a DNA bank than can help match adoptees with biological family in Korea
• Growing up – community, culture & school
• Globalization of Western beauty standards and the effects on many Asian adoptees
• Disconnect between how adoptees see themselves and how the outside world sees them
• How does being international adoptee affect your views on adoption?