Shows
Adoption Pop!Love is Blind UK Season 1 (2024) – Adoption on Reality TVE011 | Love is Blind UK Season 1 (2024) –Adoption on Reality TV According to Forbes magazine, around 80 million people, 30% of the adult population in the US, is on a dating app, with 10% of partnered adults reporting that they met their significant other through a dating site or app. Of course, one might skip university, friends, apps, and pokes (ew), and head straight for reality television. What happens when an adopted person looks for love while millions tune in to watch? The pods are open for podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer, as...
2026-02-181h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMaria: The Long Road to KnowingMaria was born and raised in the SF Bay Area in a hippie town full of diversity and freedom. Her journey began in a temporary foster home until she was adopted at about four months old from the Children's Home Society to parents who already had three older kids, all boys. Her adoptive parents divorced when she was three, but co-parented as best they could. She had a lifelong interest in her creation story, specifically why her olive skin was so different from her adoptive brothers. She always felt distinctly different. When she was seven, her father gave her the...
2026-02-1750 minAdoption Pop!Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 2: Adoption on the Small Screen010 | Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 2: Adoption on the Small Screen Part 2 of an Adoption Pop! two-part episode. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he courageously took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking national debate over the role of activism in professional sports. Kaepernick went on to become a civil rights activist, devoting his time, resources, and personal narrative to supporting Black and Brown youth in standing in their power—something he knows a little bit about, not only from his...
2026-02-1153 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJan: Hidden in Plain SightIn 1954, Jan was born in a Quaker unwed mother's home. She was relinquished at birth, and her adoptive parents and brother became her world. When Jan turned 38, she was inundated with what she calls "nudges" to locate birth mother. Meeting her birth mother and biological family led to a complex and incredible balancing act because both adoptive and biological families lived in the same city, She considers it a journey worth taking.
After retiring from her years of working in a classroom setting with children dealing with a variety of complex emotional and behavior issues, she decided to organi...
2026-02-1055 minAdoption Pop!"The Girl in the Middle" (2026) – Bonus Pop! Advertising AdoptionBonus Pop! | "The Girl in the Middle" (2026) – Advertising Adoption This is a very special, bonus Pop! episode, recorded as the adoptee community awaits the premier of "The Girl in the Middle," a pro-adoption advertisement promoted by the National Council for Adoption and others, slated to air during the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show—but only if you believe their marketing. (Spoiler: We do not recommend you believe their marketing). This episode of Adoption Pop! aired on February 6, 2026. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: Leave it to reproductive rights scholar, Gretche...
2026-02-0628 minAdoption Pop!Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 1: Adoption on the Small Screen009 | Colin in Black and White (2021) – Part 1: Adoption on the Small Screen San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he courageously took a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking national debate over the role of activism in professional sports. Kaepernick went on to become a civil rights activist, devoting his time, resources, and personal narrative to supporting Black and Brown youth in standing in their power—something he knows a little bit about, not only from his NFL days, but from growing up as a tran...
2026-02-041h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesNeshia: Carrying Truth, Creating SafetyContent Warning: This episode discusses suicide and mental health struggles; if you or someone you know needs help, please call/text 988 in the US and Canada.
Neshia, short for Teneshia, is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was apprehended from her biological mother due to neglect and entered the child welfare system as a Crown ward in the late 1980s. After being adopted in the early 1990s, she was later remade a Crown ward again in the mid to late 1990s. The systems meant to protect her did not simply fail—they turned away.
Neshia is of...
2026-02-031h 04Adoption Pop!Vivien's Wild Ride (2026): Adoption on the Small Screen008 | Vivien's Wild Ride (2026): Adoption on the Small Screen Vivien Hillgrove has been a film and sound editor all her adult life. She's worked with many filmmaking greats: Francis Coppola, Phil Kaufman, Milos Forman, Walter Murch, and celebrated documentary filmmakers Lourdes Portillo and Deann Borshay Liem. But when Vivien's eyesight starts to deteriorate, the shame and loneliness she felt in 1964 come flooding back—having relinquished her baby as a teenage, unwed mother when there were few choices for women was a loss that resonated throughout her life. Now she faces a new feeling of isolation and lo...
2026-01-2845 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKelly: From Disappearing to BecomingContent Warning: This episode discusses suicide and mental health struggles; if you or someone you know needs help, please call/text 988 in the US and Canada.
Kelly Jean Torres is an author, singer-songwriter, and trauma-informed storyteller whose work explores what it means to survive and heal. Raised in a web of foster care, domestic violence, addiction, and emotional neglect, Kelly grew up learning how to disappear in order to stay safe.
Born in Illinois and now based in Nashville, Tennessee, Kelly’s early life was shaped by instability and fear, but also by a fierce in...
2026-01-271h 03Adoption Pop!Modern Family "Pilot" (2009): Adoption on the Small Screen007 | Modern Family "Pilot" (2009): Adoption on the Small Screen For 11 seasons the Dunphys, the Delgado-Pritchetts, and the Tucker-Pritchetts influenced modern American families' views on gender roles, inter-generational relationships, and transnational adoption. Listen in as podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer break down the pilot episode of ABC's Modern Family. Because the circle of life has to start somewhere. Modern Family was created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan. Its "Pilot" episode (September 23, 2009) was written by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, and directed by Jason Winer. This...
2026-01-2157 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJackie: A Life of Loss and ReclamationJackie’s life and work are rooted in the profound belief that every individual deserves a "brave space" to show up authentically, fully, and without judgment. As the Executive Director of a Hospice Home and the founder of Lega-C Healing by Jackie, she dedicates her days to guiding others through life’s most delicate transitions with grace, intuition, and deep compassion.
Her professional path is inextricably linked to her extraordinary personal journey. A survivor of orphan trafficking from the Dominican Republic under the guise of international adoption, Jackie was brought to the United States as a child, afte...
2026-01-2059 minAdoption Pop!K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025): Adoption on the Big Screen006 | K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025): Adoption on the Big Screen Breaking Netflix streaming and box-office records, and charming the critics, podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer go all-in on summer 2025's breakthrough hit, K-Pop Demon Hunters. Clever humor, catchy tunes, and storylines exploring shame and generational trauma, the Huntrix girls and the ladies of Adoption Pop! show how adoptee-resonant storytelling is really done done done. K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) was written by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans, and directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. This episode a...
2026-01-1434 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDean: Adopted, Reunited, Moving ForwardBorn in England, to a young American Mother, Dean was adopted by a loving English couple who already had another, separately adopted son. Fully aware of being adopted from an early age, both siblings struggled for a sense of identity, and tension was ever-present in the family. Eventually, aged 33, Dean decided to attempt to find and connect with his birth mother and was eventually able to do so, aged 42. Reunification went very well for a few years, but eventually their relationship became toxic, and Dean decided to move on.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
2026-01-131h 01Adoption Pop!Sex and the City: The Movie (2008): Adoption on the Big Screen005 | Sex and the City: The Movie (2008): Adoption on the Big Screen Slip on your Manolos, pour yourself a Cosmo, and listen in to podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer pick up where the turn-of-the-century HBO juggernaut left off: with Samantha and her celebrity boy toy on the west coast, Miranda living in something less than domestic bliss in Brooklyn, Carrie finally settling down with Big, and Charlotte, making her fairy tale dreams of motherhood complete … through international adoption? Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) was written and di...
2026-01-0754 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMindy: From Relinquished to RootedRelinquished at birth, Mindy was the only girl and the oldest child in her family, learning at age five that she had been adopted. Her childhood was marked by serious anxiety and feelings of being an outsider while also losing herself in the role she fulfilled as “Mindy”.
Finding her maternal bio-family in her mid-thirties helped her to solve some of the mystery behind her abandonment. After the tragic passing of both of her adoptive parents when she was forty-three, Mindy began coming to terms with her origins, experiences, and losses.
As age fifty approached, she...
2026-01-0652 minAdoption Pop!Penny Serenade (1941): Adoption on the Silver Screen004 | Penny Serenade (1941): Adoption on the Silver Screen The 1941 sentimental classic, Penny Serenade, stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant as a married couple who replace children more often than they replace the needle on their sitting room Victrola. Join podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker, Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer as we challenge marriage and adoption propaganda during Hollywood's Golden Age on this episode of Adoption Pop! Penny Serenade (1941) was directed by George Stevens, based on the novella by Martha Cheavens. This episode aired on December 31, 2025. In it we discussed and...
2025-12-311h 04
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesLaura: Finding Family, Finding TruthLaura was born to teen parents in South Carolina in May 1984 and was adopted through Catholic Charities by a wonderful and loving couple who could not have biological children. An adopted brother joined the family seven years later. She always knew she was adopted, and while adoption was spoken about openly and positively, it was understood by both siblings that searching for biological family would not be supported.
The birth of Laura’s second child sparked a curiosity to begin the search through an ancestry kit. With the help of a search angel, she was able to ide...
2025-12-3055 minAdoption Pop!The Family Stone (2005): Adoption on the Big Screen003 | The Family Stone (2005): Adoption on the Big Screen In this episode of Adoption Pop!, podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer delve into the dysfunctional dynamics of The Family Stone. Race, queer rights, adoption, heirloom jewelry, and a beloved family recipe for strata—this film has everything (except maybe likeable characters engaged in healthy communication). But don't take our word for it. Sit through what is perhaps the cringiest Christmas Eve dinner in history, and judge for yourself. The Family Stone (2005) was written and directed by Thomas Bezucha, and...
2025-12-241h 03
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAlana: Finding Home in the TruthAlana Godin, born in 1966 in Vancouver, British Columbia, is an adoptee raised in a family whose mother, after three sons, had longed for a daughter. Growing up, Alana struggled to fit the role imagined for her but remained deeply grateful to her adoptive parents, whose support later allowed her to keep and raise her own child.
As a teenager, Alana had to navigate adulthood early, becoming pregnant and marrying young, but it was the birth of her second child that created a strong pull to understand her origins. Without the internet or DNA testing, she spent five...
2025-12-231h 06Adoption Pop!The Grinch (2018): Adoption on the Big Screen002 | The Grinch (2018): Adoption on the Big Screen Terrorizing Whoville and inciting holiday joy for almost 70 years, podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer bring an adoptee lens to the only adaptation of the classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! that turns the title character into an orphan. The Grinch (2018) was written by Michael LaSieur and Tommy Swerdlow, directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney, and produced by Universal Pictures. This episode aired on December 17, 2025. In it we discussed and/or relied upon: 23andMe, "Discover...
2025-12-171h 07
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAnnette: A Fragile BeginningAnnette started her life as part of the baby scoop era. Annette’s first six days of life were spent in the hospital while she awaited a decision by her biological mother about whether or not she should keep her baby. Annette was placed with a foster mother under the name of Sara.
It is challenging to obtain birth records from the State of Wisconsin, but Annette was able to obtain some of the records of her first three months of life. Little Sara did not have an easy time during her first seven weeks. Her foster mother...
2025-12-1649 min
Adoptees OnBonus - Introducing Adoption Pop!Bonus | Introducing Adoption Pop! 001 | Elf (2003): Adoption on the Big Screen The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear! Whether it's your first time watching this holiday classic, or your fiftieth, you've probably never watched Elf like this before. Podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer–all adoptees themselves–explore the adoptee experience alongside adoptee Buddy the Elf, including adoptee terminology, biological parent fantasies, cultural identity struggles, and more. Full show notes at https://adoptionpop.com/ Find, follow, like, and subscr...
2025-12-121h 05Adoption Pop!Elf (2003): Adoption on the Big Screen001 | Elf (2003): Adoption on the Big Screen The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear! Whether it's your first time watching this holiday classic, or your fiftieth, you've probably never watched Elf like this before. Podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer–all adoptees themselves–explore the adoptee experience alongside adoptee Buddy the Elf, including adoptee terminology, biological parent fantasies, cultural identity struggles, and more. Elf (2003) was written by David Berenbaum, directed by Jon Favreau, and produced by New Line Cinema. T...
2025-12-101h 04
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMary: Turning Questions into AdvocacyMary is a Baby Scoop Era adoptee born in 1965. She was not adopted until she was almost 8 months old, after being moved to a couple of foster homes. She was told she wasn’t “doing well” at the first, likely because they had too many children there. Raised in a small town by a conservative Catholic family with her brother—also adopted two years later—Mary and her brother always knew they were adopted.
She always felt a sense of disconnection—the “weird kid” who didn’t fit in—so searching was a natural byproduct of that. She began trying to...
2025-12-021h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJodi: Art, Identity, and ReunionJodi is a Baby Scoop Era adoptee, born in Los Angeles, California, in 1966. For her, adoption has never been a single event but a lifelong journey of searching, questioning, and seeking understanding. She is now in reunion with her father, and both share a deep connection as artists. Jodi lives in Los Angeles with her family. Her story reflects the complexities of identity, family, and belonging, and she continues to honor both the losses and the connections that have shaped who she is today.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
Practically Still a Virgin...
2025-11-251h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMike: Comedy Born from TruthMike Knox is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and performing artist whose work blends personal storytelling with observational humor. Originally from Pasadena, California, he was adopted at birth from White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles.
Mike Knox is the author of the books Vivien’s Rain, written about his daughter’s experience with epilepsy, and Straight Fish, and Isla Vista Halloween.
In addition to stand-up comedy, Mike Knox is a retired Parole Agent now pursuing his passion for acting, improv, and clowning.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
Practic...
2025-11-1841 minAdoption Pop!Welcome to Adoption Pop!Welcome to Adoption Pop! where a podcast journalist, a filmmaker, and a cultural critic burst pop culture's favorite adoption tropes. Each episode, we'll dive into movies, TV, and reality shows, from prestige dramas to the classics, to ask what these stories are really saying, and not saying, about adoption. And we'll get real about representation: how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves. In your feed every Wednesday, beginning December 10, 2025. Find us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, AdoptionPop.com and wherever you get your podcasts. Haley Radke is a Canadian domestic adoptee...
2025-11-1802 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRecinda: From Orphanage to ArtRecinda is an artist, writer, and TikTok creator. The chasm between Recinda now and
the baby dropped off at an orphanage based in Beirut, Lebanon, is large. She was profoundly
changed by her adoption from an American family stationed in Izmir, Turkey, after a seven-year
span of life at the orphanage. She had to become adaptive to a new language, an American
way of living, as well as the many schools and locations that are an elementary part of military
life.
Survival is the key component to Recinda’s life, even after le...
2025-11-111h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesStephanie: Breaking Silence, Building ConnectionStephanie was born in the Chicago suburbs in June 1983 and adopted 4 days after birth. Her birth mother was 19 years old and was an employee of an attorney associate of her adoptive father's. Through a private adoption arranged by the attorney, Stephanie was placed into a loving adoptive family with two biological children (and later one adopted sister and one biological brother), both of whom were affected by Canavan Disease and passed away when she was still a child—an experience that shaped her deep sense of empathy but also her perspective on family, belonging, and loss.
Today, Ste...
2025-11-0457 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDoug: Digging for Truth, Finding BelongingDouglas Shaver was born at Florence Crittenton's Home for Unwed Mothers in Kansas City in 1968. He was adopted five weeks after birth. Though adopted into a loving and supportive family, he struggled with identity and with his place in the world. During middle school, his family moved to Saudi Arabia. It was during that time in the Middle East that he developed a passion and understanding of different cultures and the communities of people within those cultures. This passion–combined with a constant evaluation of his place in the world as an adoptee– may be what inspired his eventual caree...
2025-10-281h 04
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesElena: Through Adopted EyesElena S. Hall is a Russian adoptee, author, social worker, and the voice behind the Instagram page @ThroughAdoptedEyes. She is passionate about her faith, finding joy amidst grief, and loves ice cream! Adopted at a year and a half into a family that was always open about adoption, Elena brings a unique blend of personal experience and professional insight to her work. She began writing Through Adopted Eyes in 2016—a collection of memoirs from adoptees reflecting on their journeys. She later created Through Adopted Hearts to offer a fuller picture of the adoption constellation.
Elena is also th...
2025-10-2139 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCharlotte: From Secrets to SelfCharlotte Angeles was conceived during an affair that her biological father was having with her biological mother. She was born in Pasadena, CA, in 1987, and was held in her adoptive parents’ arms that same day. She knew from an early age that she was adopted - that her birth mother was very young and didn’t have the means to raise her alone - and her adoptive parents always offered a safe space to ask questions. But Charlotte didn’t decide to dive deeper until she gave birth to her first child in 2017. By that time, she had learned of the t...
2025-10-1455 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKim: Adoption and the Power of StoryAward-winning author and journalist Kim Orendor was adopted at three months old. Her parents told her about the day she joined their family, along with other stories at bedtime. Kim continues to share her own story with others and has authored an adoption-themed young adult novel. She lives in Northern California.
Kim's YA fiction story "To Whom It May Concern" with an adoption theme, won the NextGen INDIE gold medal.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall
You Can't Get Rid of Me by...
2025-10-0743 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesTim: From Hidden Wounds to WholenessTim Perdion was born in 1969 and relinquished for adoption at birth. Around two months later, he was adopted into a loving family in Ohio. Though surrounded by care and support, he carried a quiet ache beneath the surface—a longing to understand his identity and a sense of not fully belonging. These hidden wounds, rooted in adoption, shame, and early emotional neglect, followed him into adulthood.
At 46, Tim reunited with both of his biological parents. While the experience offered long-awaited answers, it also opened the door to secondary rejection and a deeper unraveling of his story. This tur...
2025-09-301h 04
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSusie:A 35-Year Journey to BelongingSusie DeTitta was born in California in 1965 and adopted at three months old by a family unable
to have children due to infertility. Her parents had previously adopted two other children. Shortly
after her adoption, the family relocated to Arizona, where Susie spent her childhood and later
attended university.
While in college, a spontaneous call with a friend to the adoption agency proved to be a dead
end in her search for her biological roots. Years later, after moving to Portland, Oregon, a letter
from the same agency reignited her curiosity—this ti...
2025-09-1646 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDave: From Separation to SelfBorn in Long Island in 1966, Dave Verrone’s life began with separation — just five days after birth, he was placed with a foster family. For the next 14 months, he bonded deeply with his foster parents and three siblings. In October 1967, he joined the Verrone family, adjusting to his third mother, his father, and a new sister, also adopted.
Childhood brought both love and challenge. Though his adoptive parents cared for him deeply, their “clean slate” approach left Dave hesitant to ask about his origins, shaping him into a quiet “pleaser” who avoided rocking the boat. Separation anxiety, shyness, and...
2025-09-091h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKaren: From Reunion to HealingKaren was adopted domestically at birth, and found by her birth family at 29, and entered reunion soon after. The experience of merging her past and present was both transformational and complex, bringing up emotions and questions she hadn’t fully confronted before. During this time, Karen sought therapy but struggled to find someone who truly understood the adoptee experience. Many available therapists were adoptive parents—well-intentioned, but not individuals she felt safe opening up to. This gap in adoptee-centered care inspired Karen to return to graduate school in her 40s to become the kind of therapist she needed: someone with...
2025-09-0255 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesPete: A Mother Lost, A Self DiscoveredPete Droge is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter based in Seattle, WA who rocketed to early stardom on the strength of his 1994 debut Necktie Second. The Los Angeles Times compared his songwriting to Bob Dylan and Neil Young while also earning similar praise from Rolling Stone and Boston Globe among many others, and within a year he was on the road supporting Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He has since released a series of well-received solo albums, composed a variety of works for film and television, and even appeared in Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous.
Sixteen years ag...
2025-08-2659 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSimon: Reforming Adoption in KenyaSimon Njoroge is an adopted person from Kenya. He has been involved in the child care reform agenda in Kenya in various capacities for more than a decade, including coordinating an adopted persons support group.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall
You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault
Unspoken by Liz Harvie
Sign up for our mailing list to get updates and the Eventbrite for our September 12th & 13th Washington, D.C. Event!
Thank...
2025-08-0746 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesBarbara: The Clues that Led to Self-DiscoveryBarbara was born in 1964 and although given up within the first week of life, she wasn’t ultimately adopted until she was 16 months old. She was never told why or where she was that first 16 months. While growing up Barbara occasionally asked about her biological mother. Her adoptive mother told her that she would never be able to find her, as the records in New York State were sealed. Barbara accepted that as fact, and never sought to look further. She lived with her adopted family until she was 18 years old and then her adoptive parents abruptly moved 1000 miles aw...
2025-08-071h 03
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSimon: Reforming Adoption in KenyaSimon Njoroge is an adopted person from Kenya. He has been involved in the child care reform agenda in Kenya in various capacities for more than a decade, including coordinating an adopted persons support group.Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:Practically Still a Virgin by Monica HallYou Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri AultUnspoken by Liz HarvieSign up for our mailing list to get updates and the Eventbrite for our September 12th & 13th...
2025-08-0546 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKatherine: A Trauma Therapist Shares Her InsightsKatherine Allen McNally is an adoptee and a licensed therapist who specializes in working with adoptees and their adoptive families. She transitioned from a career in graphic design and advertising to pursue this path, driven by a deep personal commitment to supporting this unique population. Over the course of her work, she has encountered a wide spectrum of adoption narratives, including various forms of conception, gestation, birth, relinquishment, adoption, and survival. These experiences led her, along with a colleague, to develop a trauma healing model known as The TAG Method for Trauma Reprocessing and Integration....
2025-07-2249 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesTheresa: When Adoption FailsTheresa Werba was born in 1962 in New York City to a 17-year-old formerprostitute. She was given up for adoption at three months old. She was placed with a loving foster mother until she was 13 months old, when she was taken away for technical reasons and placed with an older couple with ties to a New Age religious cult.She endured a bizarre childhood of emotional and physical abuse and left homeat the age of 15. She was disinherited by both adoptive parents upon their deaths.Theresa found her birth mother in 1984 and has...
2025-07-1554 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDon: For This Adoptee, Finding His Roots Led to PeaceLike many people who went through the foster care system, Don Anderson was really curious about his roots. He started doing some research and realized his biological aunt on his mother’s side was living less than three miles away. His wife convinced him to introduce himself. She immediately recognized him and told him he looked like his mother.From there, Anderson met his biological mother, then started the research for his biological father. He ended up tracing his roots for generations, and now helps others trace their ancestry and find relatives. He’s written a book abou...
2025-07-081h 07
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAlejandra: For This Adoptee, Spirituality Was the AnswerAlejandra was adopted at five years old into a Mexican-American family. She had never sought her family of origin, but when they arrived unexpectedly, her inner strength was tested, and her spiritual growth began. I Just Can't Make This Sh!t Up: Overcoming Fear and Accepting My Spiritual Gifts by Alejandra G. BradySeason 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:Practically Still a Virgin by Monica HallYou Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri AultUnspoken by Liz HarvieSign up f...
2025-07-0146 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJacqueline: For This Adoptee, Acceptance Brought CompassionJacqueline, now 63 and living in Cape Town, South Africa, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1962, following a relationship between her English-born biological mother, a professional actress on contract to a theatre company in Nairobi, and her Welsh and Irish biological father, a radio announcer in Nairobi. Following Jacqueline's birth, and the abandonment of her and her biological mother by her biological father, her biological mother followed him to Zimbabwe, but he refused involvement or responsibility. At Jacqueline's biological mother's father's "pleading" with her to "keep the baby", she returned to her acting career, subjecting Jacqueline to 16 months of severe...
2025-06-241h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSariah: An Adoptee from China Seeks IdentitySariah is a Chinese Adoptee adopted by a White American Mormon family and recently left the Mormon faith to find herself and to find her birth family. Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation, which may be distressing for some listeners.Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:Practically Still a Virgin by Monica HallYou Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri AultUnspoken by Liz HarvieSign up for our mailing list to get updates and t...
2025-06-1751 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCarol: A Lifelong Search and DNA Changed this Adoptee’s LifeCarol was born in Washington, DC, relinquished at birth in 1960, subsequently adopted in 1961 by a family who had adopted another daughter the year before.She began her reunion in 2017 by finding out she was the baby sister of 3 half sisters, 2 full sisters, and her father by DNA. Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:Practically Still a Virgin by Monica HallYou Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri AultUnspoken by Liz HarvieSign up for our mailing list
2025-06-101h 06
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCameron Lee Small: The Adoptee's Journey: Season 10 FinaleCameron Lee Small, MS, LPCC, is a licensed clinical counselor, transracial adoptee, and mental health advocate based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born in Korea and was relinquished into foster care at age three. He was then adopted in 1984 by a family in the United States. His private practice, Therapy Redeemed, specializes in the mental health needs of adoptees and their families wherever they may be in their adoption journey. His work has been featured in Christianity Today, the National Council for Adoption, and the Center for Adoption Support and Education.To find Cameron Lee Small:
2025-06-0355 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSandi: The Journey to Rediscovering Family and Self in PanamaSandi Morgan Caesar is a transnational adoptee. She was born Cristina Rodriguez in Panamá to a 14-year-old girl who parented her for most of her 1st year. Ultimately, she was placed for adoption by her maternal grandmother without the knowledge or consent of her first mother. Sandi was adopted by a Black US Air Force family stationed in Panamá at the time. She was naturalized as a US citizen and then brought to the US at 3 years old. It was about this time that she asked her mom why they didn't have the same face. She grew up in Da...
2025-05-271h 19
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCarol: For This Adoptee, Early Searching Led to Present-Day UnderstandingCarol Hoeksema was born at the Salvation Army Evangeline Home for unwed mothers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1957, where she stayed the first 13 days of her life before going to an unknown foster family arranged by Bethany Christian Services. At 3 months, she was given to her adoptive parents and raised in the Dutch immigrant community of Pella, Iowa. She always knew that she was adopted and was curious about her roots. At age 19, she started her search by going to the adoption agency, and over the next 15 years, she was able to find and contact the families of both...
2025-05-201h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesStephen: A Chance Viewing Led to a Search for IdentityBorn in 1963, Stephen Payne was five weeks old when his parents adopted him through the Volunteers of America. He grew up an only child in a loving family. At age three, he overheard his parents discussing his adoption with friends. His mother explained it to him in age-appropriate terms, which mostly satisfied his curiosity, yet occasionally left nagging questions.That inner conflict may have affected his earliest days in school, where he struggled. A diagnosis of ADHD confirmed some of this inner turmoil. A portion of this, Stephen has since learned, was hereditary, possibly caused, too, by...
2025-05-131h 17
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMary: How a Search Angel and DNA Changed This Adoptee’s LifeMary, a seventh-generation Tennessean born in Memphis in 1986, was adopted and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, by a supportive family who encouraged her search for her biological relatives. In 2007, she connected with her birth mother, who had mistakenly identified the wrong man as Mary's father. Then, in 2019, a "search angel" and a DNA match through Ancestry.com unexpectedly revealed her actual biological father and a previously unknown family. She has since developed relationships with these newfound blood relatives, while maintaining a connection with the family of the man her birth mother initially believed to be her father.T...
2025-05-0652 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesHeather: A Longing Led to SearchingHeather G. Marshall is an adoptee, author, speaker, and workshop facilitator. Her TED talk, “Letting Go of Expectations,” centers around her adoption and reunion. Her second novel, When the Ocean Flies, released in February 2024 (Vine Leaves Press). The novel is an adoptee-focused exploration of love and longing, of identity and belonging, and of healing from trauma. Heather was born in Leith, Scotland, in 1967, relinquished at birth, sent to foster care, and subsequently adopted in Scotland. She has been in reunion with her mother for twenty years, and was in reunion with her father for the last six years of his...
2025-04-291h 15
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKate: For This Adoptee, the Surprises Kept ComingKate was born at a Florence Crittenton home in Kansas City, MO, in 1970 and placed with her adoptive family at 9 days old. She always knew she was adopted and has always wanted to find her family of origin. This was finally made possible when Missouri changed its laws allowing adopted people access to their original birth certificates. She has been in reunion with her mother since 2018, meeting her in person and getting a life-changing hug in 2019. That hug was the first time she had a feeling of being home. Kate is also in reunion with her father’s family, wh...
2025-04-221h 04
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMike: From Adoption to DiscoveryMike Brettmann was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1958 and adopted a few days later. He grew up on a small farm in Iowa with a brother who was adopted from another family. They were always told they were adopted, but it was never discussed. Mike joined the army after high school and served nearly 28 years on active duty. His uncle asked him to find the Brettmann family history while stationed in Germany. After tracing the Brettmann family in 1987, he wanted to find his roots. In 1999, he found his adoption papers and began a search for his birth parents...
2025-04-151h 10
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesEllianna: The Power of Reverse HealingEllianna was born prematurely in a county hospital in Portland, OR, in 1968. She had been relinquished at birth, so she stayed in the hospital alone for several weeks. Foster care stepped in for a week, and then she went to her adopted family, where there was another adopted child that was 2 years older. Ellianna moved around a lot as a child, and as an adopted child, this added to the feeling of not belonging anywhere. Adoption was not something talked about much in the home, but both children knew they were adopted.At the age o...
2025-04-081h 08
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesBecky: Shifting Perspectives of AdoptionBecky is a scientist, mother, wife, and baby scoop era adoptee who lives with her husband and biological daughter in Oregon. She was born in California, separated from her very young mother at birth, and adopted at 6 weeks by a married couple struggling to have their second biological child. Comfortably raised, she always knew she was adopted, special, and “chosen”. Her adoption was closed, and the birth certificate remains sealed.In 1993, with the help of her adopted sister and a document listing her birth name that her adopted father had been given by accident, Becky found and cont...
2025-04-0157 min
Atrask LietuvąŠiaudinių namų sostinė – Kardokai! Kristalų parkas – Judrarūdėje!Jei norite iš šiaudų ir molio pasistatyti miške namą – užsukite į Kardokus ir paklausinėkite Rolando bei Aušros Augučių šeimos, kur ir kaip geriausiai tai daryti.Reti mineralai miške? Akivaizdu, kad kristalai bet kur nesimėto, tačiau tik ne Kristalų parke, Judrarūdės kaime, įkurtame būtent Višakio Rūdos miškuose, netoli Kazlų Rūdos. Šeimininkai Arvydas ir Aušra Auškeliai stebina savo veiklomis.Ved. Jolanta Jurkūnienė
2025-01-1853 min
Unraveling AdoptionREPLAY Behind the Scenes of Because She's Adopted: A Filmmaker's Journey with Kristal Parke - Ep 178"I truly felt the weight of the world telling the story. I felt like it was a great responsibility, but I had to do it." -- Kristal Parke Read the Transcript here: https://app.swellai.com/t/tp_01JG7AR0SN4Y6M7WW6E7WEK0AT EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kristal Parke, a talented filmmaker and adoptee, about her acclaimed documentary, Because She's Adopted. As we kick off 2025, we are excited to offer a replay of our conversation, which dives deep...
2025-01-0630 min
Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family SecretsDiscovering Roots in Sicily and Indigenous HeritageSend a textIn Part 2 of our heartfelt conversation with Cree filmmaker, Kristal Parke, we explore her journey of reconnecting with her Opaskwayak Cree Nation roots and her Sicilian heritage. From embracing her Indigenous identity to the emotional weight of her birth family reunion, Kristal reflects on how her documentary, Because She’s Adopted, has helped her and others process the deep impacts of adoption. Join us as we dive into the transformative power of heritage and family bonds.Discovering Roots in Sicily and Indigenous HeritageKey Moments:•Revisiting Sicily and the...
2024-10-1527 min
Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family SecretsDiscovering Roots in Sicily and Indigenous HeritageIn Part 2 of our heartfelt conversation with Cree filmmaker, Kristal Parke, we explore her journey of reconnecting with her Opaskwayak Cree Nation roots and her Sicilian heritage. From embracing her Indigenous identity to the emotional weight of her birth family reunion, Kristal reflects on how her documentary, Because She’s Adopted, has helped her and others process the deep impacts of adoption. Join us as we dive into the transformative power of heritage and family bonds.Discovering Roots in Sicily and Indigenous HeritageKey Moments:• Revisiting Sicily and the Opaskwayak Cree Nation: Kristal’s feel...
2024-10-1527 min
Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family SecretsThe Primal Wound: Adoption’s Hidden TraumaSend a textIn this powerful episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall Stulce sit down with Cree filmmaker and adoptee, Kristal Parke, to discuss her impactful documentary Because She’s Adopted. Kristal’s film dives deep into the complex emotional landscape of adoption, exploring themes like the primal wound, hidden trauma, and how adoptees often navigate identity challenges and mask their pain.Kristal shares her journey of meeting her birth mother—an experience that profoundly shaped her sense of self. Corey and Kendall, who have had their own transformative reunion experiences, explore these themes with K...
2024-10-0824 minFamily Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family SecretsThe Primal Wound: Adoption’s Hidden TraumaIn this powerful episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall Stulce sit down with Cree filmmaker and adoptee, Kristal Parke, to discuss her impactful documentary Because She’s Adopted. Kristal’s film dives deep into the complex emotional landscape of adoption, exploring themes like the primal wound, hidden trauma, and how adoptees often navigate identity challenges and mask their pain.Kristal shares her journey of meeting her birth mother—an experience that profoundly shaped her sense of self. Corey and Kendall, who have had their own transformative reunion experiences, explore these themes with Kristal, discussing the intricate ways f...
2024-10-0824 min
Mind Your Own Karma - Beyond The BandageS3E38 - "BECAUSE SHE'S ADOPTED" CREE DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER, ADOPTEE KRISTAL PARKEIn her highly anticipated debut feature documentary, titled "Because She's Adopted," Kristal Parke delves deep into her own life story while also weaving together the narratives of other adoptees from diverse backgrounds.
Adoptee Kristal Parke is a talented Cree filmmaker, producer, podcaster whose personal journey has driven her to explore themes of identity, belonging, and family in her work.
Born and raised in the West Coast of Canada, Kristal was adopted into a non-indigenous family as an infant. This experience profoundly shaped her perspective on life, and she has...
2024-09-1753 min
Adoptees OnKristal Parke290 | Kristal Parke Today's guest is filmmaker and fellow podcaster, and fellow Canadian, Kristal Parke! Kristal is the subject of the documentary, Because She's Adopted. Today Kristal shares some of her story with us including her non-paternal realization, her road to sobriety, her visits back to the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in Manitoba, and meeting many of her biological family members, including her biological father. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for ed...
2024-09-131h 04
Unraveling AdoptionBehind the Scenes of Because She's Adopted: A Filmmaker's Journey with Kristal Parke - Ep 148"I truly felt the weight of the world telling the story. I felt like it was a great responsibility, but I had to do it." -- Kristal Parke Read the transcript here: https://app.swellai.com/t/tp_01HZE3F00W8S92RJM8N2F3METT EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristal Parke, an adoptee and filmmaker behind the acclaimed documentary Because She's Adopted. Kristal shared her journey of self-discovery and identity exploration through the creation of her film, which delves into...
2024-06-0328 min
CutOff Genes PodcastCutOff Genes: Episode 905: FOG is Not a Slur Adoptees Julie D Jackson and Betsy Hadden discuss trauma manifestation- or lack thereof Intriguing Death Certificates Part 2 of Storytime with Kristal Parke of @becauseshesadopted Subscribe, Rate and Review! www.cutoffgenes.com www.patreon/cutoffgenespodcast
2024-05-2754 minCutOff Genes PodcastCutOff Genes: Episode 904: It's in the Blood News about Julie's personal life that ties into DNA (Trigger Warning- Vulnerable) Trenches: Use an expert to keep your Confirmation Bias at bay California has access to the DNA of every child born since the 1980s- discuss Storytime: Canadian Adoptee Kristal Parke talks about her upcoming film "Because She's Adopted" @becauseshesadopted For help with your DNA mystery contact Julie at www.cutoffgenes.com or www.juliedixonjackson.com Please consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/cutoffgenespodcast Subscribe, Rate and Review!!
2024-05-121h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKristal: Because She's AdoptedKristal Parke is a talented Cree filmmaker, producer, podcast host, and adoptee, whose personal journey has driven her to explore themes of identity, belonging, and family in her work. Born and raised on the West Coast of Canada, Kristal was adopted into a non-indigenous family as an infant. This experience profoundly shaped her perspective on life, and she has used her creative prowess to shed light on the complexities of adoption and its impact on individuals and communities. In her highly anticipated debut feature documentary, titled "Because She's Adopted," Kristal delves deep into her own life story while also...
2024-02-2055 min
Be Your BrillianceEpisode #15: How Are We Influencing and Supporting Young Girls Today?How do we contribute to a better future for our daughter's? This is a topic that is close to all of our hearts, and especially when it comes to the way our children feel about themselves as they grow into self assured contributing young women.
How do we help to protect and cultivate their self esteem, their self confidence, and their independence of thought and critical thinking? Body image, self worth, sexuality, independence are important topics of today that matter as a parent or adult influencing young girls.
We have a special guest today in thi...
2022-07-261h 08