Black Adoptees Identities

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Shania Ives, the founder of The Dunbar Project. 

Shania shared the circumstances leading her to be put into foster care and then being adopted and how the situation has impacted her and her identity.  Shania also discussed her relationship with her birth mother, moving back with her at 18 years old, then falling out and later rebuilding their relationship again.

Shania also talked about the work she does at the Dunbar Project, formerly known as Adoptee Futures.

@shania_sophia_

@thedunbarproject

www.thedunbarproject.org.uk

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Sana Latrease Cotten, the founder and CEO of Unashamed, Inc.

Sana shared about her traumatic early years with birth family and foster care  before being adopted. She also discussed her chaotic teenage years and being a teen mum and her journey into adulthood and finding comfort in her faith.

Content warning: this episode contains discussion about child sex trafficking, sexual abuse, murder attempt, incarceration.

@sanalatrease

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Corey Quinn, a musician and a transracial adoptee based in Michigan.

Corey shared about his early years moving from foster home to foster home before being adopted at the age of two. He talked about how his adoptive family had to sue the state to be able to keep him and consequently being invited on the Oprah Winfrey show following the court case. Corey shared about the challenges he faced during teenagehood and early adulthood and how he turned to music and writing songs for comfort. Corey also discussed his reunion with his biological siblings.

Content warning: this episode contains discussion about malnutrition, abuse, suicide ideation.

@coreyimperfect

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with blogger Teisha Miles. Teisha talked about her kinship adoption and her own experience of being raised by a family member and her relationship with her adoptive mother. They discussed the stigma and secrecy around adoption in the black community.  Teisha shared her work around kinship adoption education and her blog. 

@adoptedblackgirl

wwww.adoptedblackgirl.com

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Matthew Omowale Anthony, writer and podcast host. Matthew talked about growing up in a sundown town and how this has impacted their life. They also discussed the issue with the adoption system. Matthew also shared about his written piece called "Shape of Black", published in Logic(s) magazine. 

Instagram: @creativekindred_

Substrack: @creativekindred

X: @CantBurnTheSun

Book: You Can Not Burn The Sun

Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Molly McLaurin, founder of Monarch Connections. Molly talked about what it means to her to be a biracial, transracial adoptee and how she navigated her identity. She also discussed her work with Monarch Connections and her current relationship with her twin sister, adoptive parents and biological family.

@monarchconnections

@identitynrace

www.monarch-connections.com

[email protected]

In this episode, Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Nicole Monique Beede, aka "The Therapeutic Babe of Adoption", a transracial adoptee based in Boston. Nicole talked about the environment where she grew up in and how she navigated the challenging times. She discussed how she dealt with grief when her adoptive mother passed away when she was 17. She also shared her journey into finding her birth family and the reunion. They also discussed the importance of wellbeing and resting.

Follow Nicole: @theraputic_babe aka "The Therapeutic Babe of Adoption"

In this episode, Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Dr Patrice Martin, an adoptee and adoptee advocate based in Tennessee.

Dr Patrice Martin shared about her origin story and the circumstances that led to her adoption, her identity growing up in a shame race adoptive family and her reunion with birth family on live television on the show Long Lost Family.

Dr Patrice Martin also talked about her advocacy work in the adoption space around media, faith and legislation.

They also discussed the controversial trend of baby boxes and the vulnerable position and lack of support for young pregnant woman. 

They also talked about the role of media in portraying a positive story of adoptees and the issue around adoptive parents parading their children on social media.

Content warning: this episode deals with issue around child abandonment

In this episode, Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Noémie Rodrigue, a transracial adoptee from Haiti, based in Canada. Noémie discussed how she navigated between a loving childhood and struggle between her own identity later on in life. Noémie shared her thoughts about the possibility of visiting Haiti and having information about her birth siblings. Noémie also shared about how she is thriving right now with an expanding catering business and a family of her own.

@itsnoemierodrigue

@sweet.and.salty.charcuterie

In this episode, Christelle Pellecuer is in conversation with Isaac Etter, founder of Identity, a startup focused on using technology to help adoptive and foster parents thrive. They discussed how Isaac navigated growing up in a transracial family and the emotions and struggles he faced. Isaac shared his journey into working in the adoption space and his relationship with his adoptive parents. Isaac also talked about his healing journey, his docuseries called "Discovering my identity" and the learning from having a child of his own as an adoptee.

Instagram: @Isaac_etter

www.isaacetter.com

www.identitylearning.co