What does it cost an adopted person to wear a mask just to keep the world comfortable—and what does it take to finally take the armor off? In this October episode of Born in June, Raised in April, host April Dinwoodie sits down with Erik Mohn, author of his debut memoir Stranger in My Own Story, for an electric, soul-baring conversation on transracial adoption, race, culture, family and Black masculinity. Reflecting on growing up as a Black boy raised by white parents in Massachusetts, Erik candidly unpacks the heavy burden of being "born brokenhearted" and armoring up with humor, chameleonic code-switching, and cultural performance just to survive. Together, April and Erik explore the lifelong journey of putting the fragmented pieces of an origin story back together—and how the unique, hard-won vantage point of transracial adoptees holds profound lessons for healing, corporate spaces, and human relationships at large. In this episode, April and Erik discuss: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Kintsugi and Piecing Together Origins: Viewing adoption not as a neat narrative, but as the Japanese art of gathering fractured life pieces and repairing them with gold into an integrated whole. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The "Brother Miles" Moment & Racial Mirrors: Searching for belonging as a young child in the sandbox and the visceral disorientation of growing up without Black reflection. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The Toll of the Mask: The exhaustion of constant code-switching—from suburban classrooms to Howard University—and how adopting protective personas kept vulnerability at bay. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Adoption as "Forced Healing": Wrestling with core wounds of abandonment, navigating accountability with adoptive parents, and how reunion with maternal origins brought genuine peace and empathy. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Saying Goodbye and Measuring Healing: Breaking down relationship anxiety, the fear that conflict equals abandonment, and how the ability to offer a calm, grounded "goodbye" becomes a quiet benchmark of wholeness. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The Corporate Edge & What Adoption Teaches the World: Why navigating dual worlds equips transracial adoptees to read power dynamics with unmatched clarity, and how lived adoptee wisdom can help society heal the universal fear of not being enough. </li> </ul> Connect with Erik Mohn <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Memoir: Stranger in My Own Story (Available now) </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Website: <a href= "https://www.google.com/search?q=https://mohnsworld.com">mohnsworld.com</a> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Instagram: <a href= "https://www.google.com/search?q=https://instagram.com/mohnsworld">@mohnsworld</a> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> LinkedIn: <a href= "https://www.google.com/search?q=https://linkedin.com/in/eriknmohn"> Erik Mohn</a> </li> </ul>

What does it cost an adopted person to wear a mask just to keep the world comfortable—and what does it take to finally take the armor off? In this October episode of Born in June, Raised in April, host April Dinwoodie sits down with Erik Mohn, author of his debut memoir Stranger in My Own Story, for an electric, soul-baring conversation on transracial adoption, race, culture, family and Black masculinity. Reflecting on growing up as a Black boy raised by white parents in Massachusetts, Erik candidly unpacks the heavy burden of being "born brokenhearted" and armoring up with humor, chameleonic code-switching, and cultural performance just to survive. Together, April and Erik explore the lifelong journey of putting the fragmented pieces of an origin story back together—and how the unique, hard-won vantage point of transracial adoptees holds profound lessons for healing, corporate spaces, and human relationships at large. In this episode, April and Erik discuss: Kintsugi and Piecing Together Origins: Viewing adoption not as a neat narrative, but as the Japanese art of gathering fractured life pieces and repairing them with gold into an integrated whole. The "Brother Miles" Moment & Racial Mirrors: Searching for belonging as a young child in the sandbox and the visceral disorientation of growing up without Black reflection. The Toll of the Mask: The exhaustion of constant code-switching—from suburban classrooms to Howard University—and how adopting protective personas kept vulnerability at bay. Adoption as "Forced Healing": Wrestling with core wounds of abandonment, navigating accountability with adoptive parents, and how reunion with maternal origins brought genuine peace and empathy. Saying Goodbye and Measuring Healing: Breaking down relationship anxiety, the fear that conflict equals abandonment, and how the ability to offer a calm, grounded "goodbye" becomes a quiet benchmark of wholeness. The Corporate Edge & What Adoption Teaches the World: Why navigating dual worlds equips transracial adoptees to read power dynamics with unmatched clarity, and how lived adoptee wisdom can help society heal the universal fear of not being enough. Connect with Erik Mohn Memoir: Stranger in My Own Story (Available now) Website: mohnsworld.com Instagram: @mohnsworld LinkedIn: Erik Mohn

What does it cost an adopted person to wear a mask just to keep the world comfortable—and what does it take to finally take the armor off? In this October episode of Born in June, Raised in April, host April Dinwoodie sits down with Erik Mohn, author of his debut memoir Stranger in My Own Story, for an electric, soul-baring conversation on transracial adoption, race, culture, family and Black masculinity. Reflecting on growing up as a Black boy raised by white parents in Massachusetts, Erik candidly unpacks the heavy burden of being "born brokenhearted" and armoring up with humor, chameleonic code-switching, and cultural performance just to survive. Together, April and Erik explore the lifelong journey of putting the fragmented pieces of an origin story back together—and how the unique, hard-won vantage point of transracial adoptees holds profound lessons for healing, corporate spaces, and human relationships at large. In this episode, April and Erik discuss: <ul> <li> Kintsugi and Piecing Together Origins: Viewing adoption not as a neat narrative, but as the Japanese art of gathering fractured life pieces and repairing them with gold into an integrated whole. </li> <li> The "Brother Miles" Moment &amp; Racial Mirrors: Searching for belonging as a young child in the sandbox and the visceral disorientation of growing up without Black reflection. </li> <li> The Toll of the Mask: The exhaustion of constant code-switching—from suburban classrooms to Howard University—and how adopting protective personas kept vulnerability at bay. </li> <li> Adoption as "Forced Healing": Wrestling with core wounds of abandonment, navigating accountability with adoptive parents, and how reunion with maternal origins brought genuine peace and empathy. </li> <li> Saying Goodbye and Measuring Healing: Breaking down relationship anxiety, the fear that conflict equals abandonment, and how the ability to offer a calm, grounded "goodbye" becomes a quiet benchmark of wholeness. </li> <li> The Corporate Edge &amp; What Adoption Teaches the World: Why navigating dual worlds equips transracial adoptees to read power dynamics with unmatched clarity, and how lived adoptee wisdom can help society heal the universal fear of not being enough. </li> </ul> Connect with Erik Mohn <ul> <li> Memoir: Stranger in My Own Story (Available now) </li> <li> Website: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://mohnsworld.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">mohnsworld.com</a> </li> <li> Instagram: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://instagram.com/mohnsworld" rel="noopener noreferrer">@mohnsworld</a> </li> <li> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://linkedin.com/in/eriknmohn" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Erik Mohn</a> </li> </ul>

Dropping the Mask: Transracial Adoption, Black Identity, and Reclaiming Home with Erik Mohn

What does it mean to truly belong when the earliest chapters of your life hold unanswered questions? This September on Born in June, Raised in April: What Adoption Can Teach the World, host April Dinwoodie sits down with journalist, writer, and AdoptMent mentor Siobhan Neela-Stock. Adopted from India at 1.5 years old and raised in rural Vermont alongside three adopted sisters, Siobhan spent much of her life believing her adoption didn't deeply impact her. But an ordinary moment watching her young niece unlocked an undeniable truth: our bodies, minds, and nervous systems hold early memory, attachment, and love that conscious memory cannot always access. In this candid, moving conversation, April and Siobhan unpack the intersection of race, identity, and international adoption. Siobhan discusses the contradictions of loving your adoptive family while aching for origins, confronting inaccuracies in adoption records, and her bold decision to launch an official search for her biological family in India through the Adoptee Rights Council. 💖 Support Siobhan's Search for Family Siobhan is currently raising funds to cover the significant investigative, legal, and on-the-ground fees required for her search in India. Please consider supporting her journey: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> GoFundMe Campaign: <a href= "https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-siobhan-find-her-birth-family-in-india?attribution_id=sl:085449d4-eb91-4d10-94ab-d5db6259d9a2&lang=en_US&ts=1783794072&utm_campaign=man_today_first_time_share&utm_content=amp20_control&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=sms"> Help Siobhan Find Her Birth Family in India</a> </li> </ul> 🔗 Connect with Siobhan Neela-Stock <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Website: https://www.siobhanneelastock.com/ </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Instagram: <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/sneelastock/?utm_source=gemini">@sneelastock</a> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> LinkedIn: <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhan-neela-stock-59365b46?utm_source=gemini"> Siobhan Neela-Stock</a> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Facebook: <a href= "https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.facebook.com/share/1CF5hQ8paZ/%253Fmibextid%253DwwXIfr&utm_source=gemini"> Connect on Facebook</a> </li> </ul>

What does it mean to truly belong when the earliest chapters of your life hold unanswered questions? This September on Born in June, Raised in April: What Adoption Can Teach the World, host April Dinwoodie sits down with journalist, writer, and AdoptMent mentor Siobhan Neela-Stock. Adopted from India at 1.5 years old and raised in rural Vermont alongside three adopted sisters, Siobhan spent much of her life believing her adoption didn't deeply impact her. But an ordinary moment watching her young niece unlocked an undeniable truth: our bodies, minds, and nervous systems hold early memory, attachment, and love that conscious memory cannot always access. In this candid, moving conversation, April and Siobhan unpack the intersection of race, identity, and international adoption. Siobhan discusses the contradictions of loving your adoptive family while aching for origins, confronting inaccuracies in adoption records, and her bold decision to launch an official search for her biological family in India through the Adoptee Rights Council. 💖 Support Siobhan's Search for Family Siobhan is currently raising funds to cover the significant investigative, legal, and on-the-ground fees required for her search in India. Please consider supporting her journey: GoFundMe Campaign: Help Siobhan Find Her Birth Family in India 🔗 Connect with Siobhan Neela-Stock Website: https://www.siobhanneelastock.com/ Instagram: @sneelastock LinkedIn: Siobhan Neela-Stock Facebook: Connect on Facebook

What does it mean to truly belong when the earliest chapters of your life hold unanswered questions? This September on Born in June, Raised in April: What Adoption Can Teach the World, host April Dinwoodie sits down with journalist, writer, and AdoptMent mentor Siobhan Neela-Stock. Adopted from India at 1.5 years old and raised in rural Vermont alongside three adopted sisters, Siobhan spent much of her life believing her adoption didn't deeply impact her. But an ordinary moment watching her young niece unlocked an undeniable truth: our bodies, minds, and nervous systems hold early memory, attachment, and love that conscious memory cannot always access. In this candid, moving conversation, April and Siobhan unpack the intersection of race, identity, and international adoption. Siobhan discusses the contradictions of loving your adoptive family while aching for origins, confronting inaccuracies in adoption records, and her bold decision to launch an official search for her biological family in India through the Adoptee Rights Council. 💖 Support Siobhan's Search for Family Siobhan is currently raising funds to cover the significant investigative, legal, and on-the-ground fees required for her search in India. Please consider supporting her journey: <ul> <li> GoFundMe Campaign: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-siobhan-find-her-birth-family-in-india?attribution_id=sl:085449d4-eb91-4d10-94ab-d5db6259d9a2&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1783794072&amp;utm_campaign=man_today_first_time_share&amp;utm_content=amp20_control&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=sms" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Help Siobhan Find Her Birth Family in India</a> </li> </ul> 🔗 Connect with Siobhan Neela-Stock <ul> <li> Website: https://www.siobhanneelastock.com/ </li> <li> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sneelastock/?utm_source=gemini" rel="noopener noreferrer">@sneelastock</a> </li> <li> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhan-neela-stock-59365b46?utm_source=gemini" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Siobhan Neela-Stock</a> </li> <li> Facebook: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.facebook.com/share/1CF5hQ8paZ/%253Fmibextid%253DwwXIfr&amp;utm_source=gemini" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Connect on Facebook</a> </li> </ul>

The Ache To Know: Identity, Belonging and A Search for Origins with Siobhan Neela-Stock

Nationally recognized thought leader, April Dinwoodie, hosts a personal journey while exploring her adoption experience. We follow her as she examines her efforts to find love, identity, family, and connection. Each month, she will examine a new theme related to the calendar and key milestones in her adoption experience.

Nationally recognized thought leader, April Dinwoodie, hosts a personal journey while exploring her adoption experience. We follow her as she examines her efforts to find love, identity, family, and connection. Each month, she will examine a new theme related to the calendar and key milestones in her adoption experience.

For The Love Of February

Nationally recognized thought leader, April Dinwoodie, hosts a personal journey while exploring her adoption experience.  We follow her as she examines her efforts to find love, identity, family, and connection.  Each month April will candidly interview, discuss, and unravel, all matters surrounding adoption.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

Nationally recognized thought leader, April Dinwoodie, hosts a personal journey while exploring her adoption experience. We follow her as she examines her efforts to find love, identity, family, and connection. Each month April will candidly interview, discuss, and unravel, all matters surrounding adoption.

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