Kay was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1973 and immediately placed for adoption.  After a stay in foster care, she was adopted into a small close-knit family.  Adoption was not discussed a great deal, but it was not hidden either.  Despite being loved and spoiled, Kay was never quite comfortable in her own skin. She received her original birth certificate in 2015 and was able to locate her maternal biological family quickly.   Unfortunately, her birth mother died 5 months later, and the identity of her birth father was left a mystery.   Kay became a self-taught genetic genealogist.  Using a 4th cousin match on Ancestry DNA, Kay was able to identify who her birth father was within a few months of research.  Unfortunately, she found that he passed away 25 years prior.  She was able to connect with her paternal aunts, uncle, cousins, and siblings.  The greatest gift was her 95-year-old grandfather and the relationship she enjoyed with him until he passed.    Her story is one of self-discovery, the “passing” practice of babies of color, and the inaccuracies of non-identifying records kept in adoption files.  Kay continues to volunteer to help other adoptees in search and loves solving mysteries using DNA.  Kay and her husband, Napoleon, have been together for 21 years.  She is a mom to Isaiah and stepmom to Myeiah.  She is also Mimi to her grandson Raheem and nieces MiKiya and McKenna.  She is the Principal of a K-8 school and is dedicated to serving the children in her community.

For help researching your family roots you can contact Kay at: [email protected]

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Megan Culhane Galbraith's "The Guild of the Infant Saviour".

If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here:  https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917

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