Adoption Unfiltered

This episode finds Adoption Unfiltered on the road for its “Ethics in Adoption” tour. Our first stop on this three-city tour could be none other than Salt Lake City, Utah. As attorney and panelist Wes Hutchins said, “Utah has legalized fraud in the context of adoption.” Calling out exploitative practices and calling for better policies is of utmost importance.

Joining the authors of Adoption Unfiltered in this episode are four panelists: adoptee Dani Zimmerman, adoptee and birth mom Jori Victory, birth mom and activist Ashley Mitchell, and adoptive father and attorney for birth father rights, Wes Hutchins.

Kelsey and Ashley begin the conversation by telling us about Utah Adoption Rights and why they founded it. Next, we talk with our panelists. This episode concludes with Kelsey, Sara, and Lori reading their own published thoughts about ethics in adoption.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Season-04-Episode-32-Ethics-in-Adoption-Tour-Salt-Lake-City.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 59:31 | Recorded on December 2, 2025

Questions we ask Dani Zimmerman, Adoptee:

• You seem high functioning and successful. As an adoptee, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced that people wouldn’t know about?
• You have stayed in contact with the agency that handled your placement. What draws you to continue that relationship?

Questions we ask Jori Victory, Adoptee and Birth/First Parent:

• In what ways did your pregnancy trigger unacknowledged grief as an adoptee?
• What feelings did this bring up for you as you walked through the adoption process?

Questions we ask Ashley Mitchell, Birth/First Parent:

• Knowing what you know now, what should Utah adoption professionals be doing to convey that information to moms before relinquishment?
• Can you speak more about what is missing? How can we convey that information to moms who are going to make this decision?

Question we ask Wes Hutchins, Adoptive Parent:

• Ethics can be costly, but fraud costs more. You resigned as president from the Utah Adoption Council in 2012 amidst your concerns about what you called “egregious cases of fraud” from a few of the other members of the council. There have been a lot of conversations about the concerns of fraud in many Utah adoption tourism cases in the legislature and the media. Can you speak more about the long-term impact of fraud and what the aftermath may look like?

“Through trust, we can have an experience of healing. The systems that exist in many ways to exploit us can also be used to heal us.” — panelist and adoptee Dani Zimmerman

Engage Further

Resources:

• Utah Adoption Rights
• Compilation of Utah Adoption Rights in the news
• Sara’s op-ed in Deseret News
• Receipts about what’s happening in Utah
• An FBI warning about adoption fraud schemes

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Kelsey’s Website
• Utah Adoption Rights
• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Carrying
• @fromanothamotha

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“There’s so much out there about the people who are ‘successful’ at adopting, but there’s nothing about people who have walked away from the process.” — Jess Tennant, a woman who decided NOT to adopt, due, in part, to predatory adoption agency practices, in ep 31.

Jess, is an ally in unfiltering adoption. In 2017 after waiting to adopt for many years, Jess and her husband decided to halt their efforts. Some of the reasons are chilling, as you’ll hear in her story.

Jess is a beloved public school teacher in upstate NY, specializing in middle school special ed. She shares sentiments prospective adopters hear from adoption agencies that will make you squirm. She also shares observations about the culture of pronatalism and the ways it shows up pervasively for those wanting to adopt, and even more loudly for those who decide not to.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Season-03-Episode-31-Jess-Tennant.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 54:23 | Recorded on April 10, 2024

Engage Further

Resources:

• Jess is featured in Chapter 19 of Adoption Unfiltered
• Jess’s current blog: Finding a Different Path
• Jess’s infertility and adoption blog: My Path to Mommyhood
• Jess’s journey to openness
• Interview with Jess in Ep. 306 of Adoption: The Long View
• Sara’s Newsweek article (mentioned)
• Jess’s panel for World Childless Week: “Oops! I completely forgot I could just adopt! Thanks for reminding me.”
• Gateway Women’s Collective via Childless Collective
• Resources through World Childless Week
• The NotMom by Choice or by Chance

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Kelsey’s Website
• Utah Adoption Rights
• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Carrying
• @fromanothamotha

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“Let’s start talking about mothers in crisis.” — Patrice Martin, DBA, on the many failures of baby boxes, in ep 30.

Patrice Martin is uniquely qualified to speak on the topic of baby boxes, which is a phenomenon that takes existing Safe Haven laws an unnecessary step too far. Patrice herself was abandoned as a newborn.

Hear why, in spite of — because of! — her own history as a “foundling,” Patrice is arguing in front of state legislatures around the country against baby boxes and how to get better results with proposed funding than putting babies in boxes.

Sara talks about what this extra disconnection from humans and from one’s origins means to adoptees. Kelsey explains the differences between existing Safe Haven laws and the Baby Box movement, and the false dichotomy about Baby Boxes. Lori suggests that when a supporter of this legislation holds up the use of a baby box as a success, that instead, it is a failure.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Season-03-Episode-30_Baby-Boxes-Dr-Patrice-Martin.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 53:23 | Recorded on February 28, 2024

Engage Further

Dr. Patrice Martin:

• Patrice’s story on TLC’s Long Long Family
• Angela Tucker’s interview with Patrice
• Patrice’s testimony on TN HB2067 (begins at 55:40)
• Continuity of Care study
• Patrice on Instagram
• Adoptee Prayer Collective on Instagram

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Kelsey’s Website
• Utah Adoption Rights
• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Carrying
• @fromanothamotha

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Related Resources

• Adoption Unfiltered’s episode on the Abortion/Adoption debate
• Colorado’s Baby Box Bill: Lori’s Testimony at The State Capitol

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“Our decision and application to adopt literally caused what happened to the very child we wanted to help.” —Jessica Davis, Founder and Executive Director of Kugatta, in ep 29.

What if you discovered that the child you adopted was not actually an orphan, but someone who had been trafficked away from her family and placed in an orphanage on your behalf? This is the situation faced by activist Jessica Davis, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Kugatta.com. You don’t want to miss her story of courage and conviction, and if you’re an adoptive parent, you will for sure be asking yourself, “what would I do?”

Maureen McCauley is mom to four interracial adoptees (all adults now), through U.S. infant adoption (her sons) and through Ethiopian adoption (her daughters). She also has three granddaughters. Through her long-running blog Light of Day Stories, Maureen investigates and brings us stories that need more light on them. She is a co-facilitator with Adoption Mosaic for “Seasoned Parents,” a class for adoptive parents who want to better understand adoption and whose children are adults, and “Navigating Estrangement,” for adoptive parents who are estranged from their adult children. Her wisdom, on display here, has helped so many.

Sara shares how accountability to the adoptee by the adoptive parent eventually becomes necessary. Kelsey offers a formal invitation to adoptive parents. Lori points to the importance of alignment of adoptive parent’s needs and adoptee’s needs. When they’re in conflict, which one takes precedence?

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Season-03-Episode-29-Jessica-Davis-Maureen-McCauley.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 1:15:38 | Recorded on February 21, 2024

Engage Further

Related Conversations:

• Adoption Unfiltered interview with Kathryn Joyce, author of The Child Catchers
• Lori’s interview with Maureen McCauley on the Dance of Adoptive Parenting

Jessica Davis:

• Kugatta

Maureen McCauley:

• Light of Day Stories
• Lions Roaring Far From Home
• Adoption Mosaic’s Seasoned Parents course (and others)

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Kelsey’s Website
• Utah Adoption Rights
• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Carrying
• @fromanothamotha

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“So many parents are showing up and listening. I’m going to keep showing up with them.” —April Dinwoodie, episode 28.

After decades in this space as a transracial adoptee, activist, executive director, podcaster, mentor, and many other roles, what still surprises April? How might people do this work in a healthy way? What can be the personal costs of advocacy? We talk about this and so much more in a fascinating conversation that covers family preservation, the state of adoption, and spaces in between.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Season-03-Episode-28_April-Dinwoodie.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 44:34 | Recorded on February 14, 2024

Engage Further

April Dinwoodie:

• April’s Website
• Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
• Transracial Journeys
• Quality Improvement Center
• Born in June Raised in April Podcast
• Calendar Conversations Podcast
• @aprildinwoodie
• @juneinapril

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“You’re dealing with a lot of external politics, but there are a lot of internal politics, too.” —Betsie Norris, Founder and Executive Director of Adoption Network, in ep 27.

How did original birth certificates become available to adult adoptees in Ohio? What were the arguments of the those opposed? What can be the effect of activism on our loved ones, like Betsie’s adoptive father?

Betsie also reveals the pressing issues today and lessons learned after 35 years as an accidental activist for the next wave of activists.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Season-03-Episode-27_Betsie-Norris_1.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 43:32 | Recorded on February 7, 2024

Engage Further

Betsie Norris:

• Adoption Network Cleveland
• Betsie’s Top 10 Lessons Learned after 35 years of activism
• An Adoptee ROARed in OH, a film by Jean Strauss
• Article about Betsie’s success in OH
• Article about Betsie and her adoptive father: (TX efforts)

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“When I found out the name of my birth mother, it was the first time I felt tethered to the earth … in many respects, I was then able to walk on the earth.” —Greg Luce, Executive Director of Adoptees United and Attorney and Founder, Adoptee Rights Law Center

Why does Greg work so passionately to open original birth records to adult adoptees in remaining closed states? Which are the states to watch this legislative session? What/who was the practice of sealing records designed to protect? (May not be what you think.)

Are there downsides of transparency when the situation involves victims of sexual abuse, domestic violence, or human trafficking?

What prevents adoptees from being able to get drivers’ licenses, passports, and other forms of identity documentation?

How is it that there are ongoing deportations of adoptees who had been adopted by US citizens, and what is adoptive parents’ role in rectifying this?

Kelsey, Sara, and Lori explore all this and more with Greg. Listen in for issues that have great import for not only adoptees, but also birth parents and adoptive parents.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Season-03-Episode-26-Greg-Luce.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 54:36 | Recorded on January 31, 2024

Engage Further

Greg Luce:

• Adoptees United
• Adoptee Rights Law Center
• @adopteesunitedinc

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“One of the most surprising things is the feedback I’ve gotten from people who find Adoptees On: ‘OMG, I literally thought I was the only who had these internal, tumultuous feelings.’ ” —Haley Radke, host and creator of the podcast Adoptees On.

Is there such a thing as an ethical adoption? What are the implications of upstream vs downstream efforts to prevent mother-child separation? What would true informed consent look like for placing parents and for adopting parents? Is adoption a permanent solution to a temporary situation?

And underneath it all, what is the role of deeply listening while tackling such big questions?

We do it—we go into hard places that include religion and politics. Tune in to hear our multiple perspectives.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Season-03-Episode-25-Haley-Radke.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 57:05 | Recorded on January 24, 2024

Engage Further

Haley Radke:

• Adoptees On

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• AdoptionUnfiltered.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• AdoptionUnfiltered.com
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• AdoptionUnfiltered.com
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“Looking at adoption in all its many facets is extremely difficult for any of us. The narrative is rainbows and butterflies and we all learn too late. It tells each of us what we want to hear.” — Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy, “information purveyor and data hoarder,” in ep 24.

What do two birth mother activists talk about when comparing notes from back-in-the-day to current day? What progress has been made and what’s left to do? What gets in the way and what helps make adoption policies and practices more transparent and less predatory?

Be a fly on the wall in this discussion between Claudia, who placed in 1987, and Kelsey, who placed in 2018. Both have long been asking the question, “How can we fix this!?” — on the arduous quest to change things up in big ways.

Sara and Lori weigh in, too. It’s a conversation not to be missed!

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Season-03-Episode-24_Claudia-Corrigan-DArcy.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 57:18 | Recorded on January 17, 2024

Engage Further

Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy:

• Claudia’s Website
• Adoptive & Foster Family Coalition of New York (AFFCNY)

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

Order at Bookshop.org

OR

Order on Amazon

“When we shared our stories, found our voices, started to speak and connect, there was so much in common, regardless of our birth countries.” — Lynelle Long in Ep 23.

Lynelle Long founded InterCountry Adoptee Voices in 1998 to educate, support, connect, collaborate, galvanise and give voice to intercountry adoptees from around the world. In 2023, she spoke at the United Nations about a Joint Statement on illegal intercountry adoptions: “Victims of Illegal Intercountry Adoption Speak Out.”

As outlined in our book, Adoption Unfiltered, Sara, Kelsey, and Lori talk with Lynelle about how easily intercountry orphan care can turn into intercountry trafficking, and what provisions are (and are not) in place to protect children and families. Reflecting on 25 years in this arena, Lynelle tells us what she hopes to accomplish in the next 25 years.

Watch

Listen

https://adoptionunfiltered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Season-03-Episode-23-Lynelle-Long.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 58:12 | Recorded on January 10, 2024

Engage Further

Lynelle Long:

• InterCountry Adoptee Voices
• @lynelle.long

 

Sara Easterly:

• Sara’s Website
• Searching for Mom: A Memoir
• Adoptee-Voices.com
• @saraeasterlyauthor

 

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard:

• Twisted Sisterhood Podcast
• Love, Your Birth Mom
• @fromanothamotha

 

Lori Holden:

• Lori’s Website
• The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption
• Adoption: The Long View Podcast
• @lavluz

Search

Episode List

Ethics in Adoption Tour: Salt Lake City

Bucking Societal Pressure and Deciding NOT to Adopt

Dr. Patrice Martin

Jessica Davis and Maureen McCauley

April Dinwoodie

Betsie Norris of Adoption Network Cleveland

Greg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law Center

Haley Radke of Adoptees On

Load More

PrevPrevious EpisodeClaudia Corrigan D’Arcy of AFFCNY

Next EpisodeGreg Luce of Adoptees United and Adoptee Rights Law CenterNext

Sara, Kelsey, and Lori reveal candid perspectives on adoption—along with those of 50 other adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and allies—in their recent book, Adoption Unfiltered, now available by Rowman & Littlefield.

“Easterly, Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Holden model beautifully in Adoption Unfiltered the complexities of the Both/And of adoption.”—ASTRID CASTRO, adoptee and CEO/Founder of Adoption Mosaic“The rare opportunity to experience an adoptee, birth mother, and adoptive mother communicating honestly and compassionately offers a much-needed model for those navigating the inevitable tensions and joys that exist in adoption.”—ANGELA TUCKER, adoptee and author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption“Nuanced and thought-provoking, this book should be required reading for everyone, from adoptees and their families to adoption professionals and policymakers. This book is a true gem that offers a unique perspective on adoption and illuminates the way forward for understanding, healing, and growth.”—BETSIE NORRIS, adoptee; founder and executive director of Adoption Network Cleveland“As both scholarly examination and deeply personal narrative, this is a carefully crafted, highly respectful, broadly readable examination of adoption. This is a meeting of minds, hearts, advocacy, and empathy. There’s just so much here!”—GLENN MOREY, adoptee and creator of the Side by Side project and the New York Times Op Doc and Audible Original Given Away“Adoption Unfiltered is what happens when people really speak up and listen to each other in community and invites us to embrace its lessons of enlightenment and the possibility of personal and systemic change. This authentic, dynamic, and unique work is an important contribution to the adoption canon.”—SUZANNE BACHNER, adoptee; author and director of the award-winning play The Good Adoptee“As a person adopted in the 1960s, this is the kind of ground-breaking book I wish my adoptive parents had read. It does not shy away from the harsh realities of what adoption truly means to everyone. The pages are full of honest accounts of the emotional impact to all parties. I identified with it all and read each word with relief that this factual book is now informing our culture.”—ZARA PHILLIPS, adoptee, singer, songwriter, playwright, and author of Somebody’s Daughter“I highly recommend Adoption Unfiltered for anyone but especially for the adoptee and their parents, biological and adoptive—and it should be mandatory reading in adoption education and for anyone considering adoption, as it will help prevent the ongoing trauma we adoptees typically experience in most adoptions to date.”—LYNELLE LONG, adoptee and founding director of InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)“Adoption Unfiltered is the most important book of our modern adoption generation. With grief and loss existing in a space with hope and healing, we finally get to see a glimpse of those lived experiences through adoption in a way that is relatable, educational, and tangible. We finally know better, and this book is doing better.”—ASHLEY MITCHELL, birth mother and founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation“Adoption Unfiltered is required reading for anyone who is part of the adoption constellation, including the central core triad. Using voices and perspectives from adoptees, birth parents, and adopting parents, this book reveals the inner thoughts, challenges, and possibilities each have experienced within themselves and the American culture, providing a map to navigate these complicated and complex roles.”—SUSAN DEVAN HARNESS, adoptee and author of Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption“Adoption Unfiltered is a blazing, insightful, expansive, and informative triumph centering the lives of those touched by the complexities of adoption. The trio of authors present a masterwork that blends the perspectives and challenges faced by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents in a way that holds their shared humanity while challenging existing systems in adoption.”—TONY HYNES, adoptee, author of The Son With Two Moms, and training specialist at Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)“Finally … a truth-telling book that validates the lived trauma of adoption and shows a way out of the suffering through truth, courage, grieving, and change. The stories are moving, the analysis is sound, the compassion is comforting, and the call for change is clear. We must not and cannot remain unmoved. Adoption Unfiltered is a must-read for all who care, whether personally involved in a story of adoption or not.”—GORDON NEUFELD, PHD, clinical psychologist, founder of the Neufeld Institute, and bestselling author of Hold On to Your Kids“Adoption Unfiltered casts a clear, unflinching eye on the complexities, inequities, and failures of the adoption system, pointing to the need for a more ethical practice that centers the wellbeing of adoptees while considering all members of the adoption constellation.”—B.K. JACKSON, editor, Severance Magazine“Adoption Unfiltered belongs in the hands of all adoptive parents and those considering becoming one, natural parents who have endured adoption’s loss, adult adoptees who are on the journey of putting themselves together—and everyone working in the field of adoption. Expect to be surprised.”—LORRAINE DUSKY, birth parent and author of Hole in My Heart and Birthmark“Writing across their own divergent standpoints as adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent, the authors create a unique space for honing skills in listening and communicating across difference—essential for today’s often polarizing family communicative environment.”—ELIZABETH A. SUTER, PHD, adoptive parent, professor of Communication Studies at University of Denver, adoption researcher, and adoption educator“Adoption Unfiltered provides a clear-eyed look at adoption from those most impacted—adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. I appreciated that they neither overly praise nor condemn the institution of adoption. Rather, they allow space for both the beauty and pain, aiming to make life better for this current generation of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”—DAWN DAVENPORT, adoptive parent and executive director of Creating a Family“Brilliantly written, Adoption Unfiltered may not be an easy read (because of the way it challenges old ideas), but it skillfully and thoroughly probes the societal narrative about adoption, leaving the reader to deeply re-examine their own beliefs. Adoption Unfiltered should be mandatory reading for anyone contemplating entry into adoption, as well as for their friends, co-workers, and family members.”—KATIE BIRON, foster/adoptive parent; creator of the Family Connections Program and author of The Love Tree“Adoption Unfiltered is a book we must gather around in the adoption community so we can share among the general public. Adoption is still largely misunderstood and the system of adoption in the U.S. is in need of an overhaul. It is clear from the first pages of Adoption Unfiltered that the voices within it are raising ALL the issues that should be considered as we move forward in evolving adoption in America and elsewhere.”—REBECCA RICARDO, LCSW, adoptee, birth parent, and executive director of C2Adopt“Adoption Unfiltered is a well-researched tapestry of adoptee, birth/first family, and adoptive parent voices, experiences, and resources expertly woven into a pathway of hope for future generations. The trio of authors have created a space for compassionate truism while dispelling myths with the hard facts about the complexities of adoption.”—MARCIE J KEITHLEY, first parent, co-founder/executive leader of National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and author of The Shoebox Effect: Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose“It’s never been more important for all parties of the adoption constellation to come to the table to craft essential reform. Change can’t happen, however, until we all have a better understanding of each other’s perspectives. Adoption Unfiltered has the ability to do just that—break down the walls to start candid conversations.”—REBECCA VAHLE, MEd, adoptive parent; founder and executive director of Family to Family Support Network“Adoption Unfiltered is not only an excellent resource, it is a needed, invaluable resource for every conversation and consideration of adoption—past, present, and future … As an adoptive parent who has felt the lack of substance and over-emphasis on adoptive parent voices and perspectives for far too long, this book deserves to lead and take up wide space.”—TASHA JUN, adoptive parent and author of Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging

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