April 2024

As we step into the vibrant month of May, filled with blossoming flowers and renewed energy, I want to take this opportunity to emphasize the significance of prioritizing your mental well-being. May is designated as Mental Health Awareness Month and it's a timely reminder to all of us to carve out moments for self-care and embrace the activities that bring us joy.

Personally, I recently had the pleasure of spending a rejuvenating weekend on the beach with close friends, celebrating a birthday amidst laughter and the serene backdrop of the ocean. It was a soul-nourishing experience, complete with a mission to find a lighthouse - the symbol of our newest adoptee support group, Adoptee Beacon. (Photos below!).

At Adoption Mosaic, we are committed to building a supportive community where people feel heard, understood, and valued. I'm thrilled to share some of the programs we've recently launched to provide assistance and guidance:

  • Adoptee Beacon: An Adoptee Estrangement Support Group - Adoption Mosaic’s first ever support group dedicated to providing a “brave space” for adoptees experiencing estrangement. The group filled up quickly! A message to our adoptee participants, “Your courage in sharing your stories and supporting one another is truly inspiring.”

  • Conscious Adoption: Navigating Estrangement - We are excited to announce the launch of the first-of-its-kind,  six-week adoptive parent course beginning May 7, 2024. This course aims to equip parents with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of estrangement. Registration closes on May 13, 2024.

  • We the Experts Panels (an oldie-but-goodie) -  This month, we are honored to host two enlightening panels. The first panel will delve into the intersection of adoptees and sacred plant medicines, exploring holistic approaches to healing and self-discovery. The second panel will feature perspectives from adult children of adoptees and their relationships with the adoptive side of their families.

I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful panelists who contributed to last month's discussion on LGBTQIA+ adoptees and reunion. Elliot, Matthew, Desi, Gabriel and Dani, your openness in sharing your experiences and perspectives is a significant contribution to the small cache of resources available to your community. Purchase recording

Again, as we continue to navigate the complexities of adoption and support one another through shared experiences, it is important to prioritize your mental health and cultivate spaces of empathy and understanding within yourself, for yourself.

Wishing you all a month filled with moments of joy, growth, and connection.

Registration Closes May 13, 2024

Wondering why your relationship with the adoptee in your life has changed? Conscious Adoption: Navigating Estrangement is a six-session online course for adoptive parents wanting to better understand how to process and manage any level of estrangement with the adoptee in their lives.

Led by Maureen McCauley (adoptive parent) and Becca Flatt (adoptee, adoptive parent)

Click here for details

  • Parents: Wondering if these courses are right for you? 

  • Adoptees: Not sure how to approach your parents about attending these courses? 

Contact courses@adoptionmosaic.com or schedule a FREE 15 minute Zoom meeting with Adoption Mosaic founder and CEO and course facilitator, Astrid Castro. Click here to schedule.

June 6-8: 21st Annual Celebration of Orphan Train Riders

The National Orphan Train Complex Museum and Research Center in Concordia, KS is happy to announce that the keynote speakers for 2024 will be Paul Clarke, Archivist for the Children’s Aid Society in New York, NY, and Andrea Warren, author of “We Rode the Orphan Train” and “Orphan Train: One Boy’s True Story.”

The 21st Annual Celebration of Orphan Train Riders Registration Packet is now available! Learn more.

New Narratives: Korean American Art and Activism

This year for our second annual New Narratives virtual fundraiser, we will uplift artists whose work stirs emotion, inspires discourse, and raises awareness of important social issues that concern our community members. A virtual benefit for NAKASEC and Adoptees for Justice featuring Hannah Bae, Coleen Baik, Alex Myung, Aram Han Sifuentes, Eunsoo Jeong.

May 16, 2024 at 7pm CT. Learn more!

A Preliminary Exploration into Adoption Reunions

Are you an adoptee or a first parent? A research team from Winston-Salem State University is attempting to collect data on the status of reunions and is asking for your input. Please consider completing the Preliminary Exploration into Adoption Reunions Survey.

The survey should take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. However, it does not have to be completed all at once. Here is the link to the survey or copy/paste in your browser: https://wssuiar.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_094ibXoKNFxoH9c

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