6/2022: Reframing Unspoken Topics

**This is a recording of our We the Experts event on June 11th, 2022.**

Adoptees share about experiences with genetic sexual attraction (GSA) and estrangement, and holding views that are pro-choice and abolitionist.

Panelists

Jenna Lowe is a domestic adoptee, adopted through Catholic Charities in 1986 in a closed adoption. Jenna’s biological half-brother was also placed into the same family when Jenna was 17 months old. Jenna is in reunion with both her paternal and maternal birth families and finds it her personal mission to spread awareness around relinquishment trauma to other adoptees, members of the adoption constellation, and humanity at large. Outside of grassroots advocacy, Jenna is a homeschooling mother, passionate about child development and the preservation of an authentic childhood. She is excited to be on this panel because it is an opportunity to give clarity and community to any adoptees with similar reunion experiences and to be able to reach adoptees who may also be struggling.

Kayla Zheng is an adoptee from China who was raised by a white family in the USA. Raised in a predominately white environment with limited connection to her Chinese identity or culture, she learned to navigate the complexities of her conservative white family. Through her own experiences, connecting with other adoptees, and studying different institutions of power, she has dived into the work of advocating for adoptee rights. Kayla is a proud representative of ICAV, hosts monthly meet-ups, and organizes adoptee events. She aims to authentically tell her story and leverage education to dismantle institutions and cycles of exploitation in the realm of adoption. Kayla is excited to be on this panel because by naming the taboos, it empowers adoptees to take the power and direct the narratives of our own lives. Additionally, as an adoptee, she believes there is a lot of misconceptions of our views on abortion, choice, and autonomy, all of which play a critical role in our lives and experiences.

Lina Vanegas (she/her/hers) is a Master of Social Work, and a transracial and transnational displaced person. She is a presenter, consultant, writer and speaks to the lived experiences of transracial and transnational adopted and displaced people. She is an adoptee rights advocate, mental health and suicide prevention advocate and trauma expert. She is also the co-creator and co-host of the podcast, Rescripting The Narrative. She is a founding board member of Adoptees for Choice. Lina is excited to be on this panel to discuss family system abolition.

Cade Long is a transnational and transracial adoptee. He was adopted from South Korea at the age of 1.5 yrs. Cade has grown up in Morristown, TN and currently lives in Knoxville, TN. He is not in reunion with his bio family but greatly enjoys his chosen family of adoptees. Cade also enjoys exploring the Korean culture of food, K-dramas, K movies, and getting to know fellow adoptees. He is part of the Advisory Council of Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN). He has a Masters of Social Work Degree and works as a mental health therapist with mainly teens and adults. Cade has been married for 11+ yrs and has 2 dogs, Murphy and Baxter. He is looking forward to sharing more of his story on adoptee family estrangement. Cade is excited to share his adoption story on adoptee family estrangement because as adoptees, we are not given the choice of our adoptee family and we start our life from trauma of being separated from our bio family. You can find him on Facebook as Cade Long, Instagram as dragoncade6 and cadeeatzlocal.

SuLyn Weaver is a transracial Korean adoptee. She was adopted in 1976 with her younger sister to a white family in rural Michigan. She has guest written for various adoption centered blogs, spoken on multiple panels, and been interviewed for local radio. SuLyn speaks about the history of adoption from Korea, the intersectionality of racial identity, adoptee identity, and social justice, and the historical oppression of Asians in America. SuLyn is excited to be on this panel because she wants to create a deeper understanding of the outcomes of adoption trauma.