Susan Devan Harness is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and author of Mixing Cultural Identities Through Transracial Adoption, and multiple award-winning Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption,  as well as an American Indian transracial adoptee.  She has been interviewed for numerous podcasts, on public radio, and appeared on the TEDxMileHigh Stage talking about the issues of transracial adoption.  Ms. Harness holds MAs in Cultural Anthropology and Creative Nonfiction, both from Colorado State University, where she is an affiliate of the Department of Anthropology and Geography.  

Website: https://susanharness.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Bitterroot-Salish-Transracial-Adoption-American/dp/1496219570/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1F2R850AXUEQB&keywords=bitterroot%3A+a+salish+memoir&qid=1693314579&sprefix=bitterroot+a+salish+memoir%2Caps%2C140&sr=8-1

YouTube TedxMileHigh Stage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uORk3TGSCl4

"On The Page" with https://adoptee-voices.com/writing-groups/

Music by Corey Quinn

Dr. Patrice Martin is a same race adoptee who lives in Nashville, TN with her family. In her profession she works in grants management in the nonprofit and forprofit sectors. She has always known she was adopted. She grew up in Pittsburgh, PA with a loving family. As life would have it she has had some twists and turns to her story. At about age 27 it was revealed to her that not only was she adopted which she knew, but there would be the possibility of never being able to find her biological family because she was abandoned in a trash bin at birth.

Always in the back of her mind was her biological roots. After a chance finding of the show Long Lost Family on TLC she decided to go for it and her world changed after she was reunited with her biological family on reality TV. She now lives her full story with both sides of her family and is looking to move forward with life living it to the fullest while also helping others. She is does not shy away from the issues that adoption raises in the life of adoptees and works to help children coming after her and adults to see their fullest potential while being a part of a non-ideal situation. 

"Long Lost Family", Season 6, episode 8 https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/720311/s06-e08-switched-in-the-hospital

Alieshaia is a 29 year old transracial adoptee from Upstate NY and currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee. She has recently begun her career as a school based occupational therapist. During her free time, she enjoys reading, visiting bookstores, playing video games, watching movies, sharing food and laughter with her friends and traveling with her boyfriend. 

Alieshaia was in foster care as an infant when a horrific accident led to her being hospitalized for months at just 2 years old. She was then fostered by a family who adopted her at 5 years old. 

Alieshaia has been in reunion with her biological parents and siblings for a number of years now. It was not until she began attending an adoptee lounge and regular therapy sessions when she realized she was not alone with her internalized feelings and experiences as a person of color in a predominantly white environment.

Music by Corey Quinn

Lena Skahill received her Master’s degree in Sociology in 2012 from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She is an adjunct professor of Sociology and Women’s and Ethic Studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She created her departments first courses in Adoption and Family Studies now available to all students regardless of their discipline. Lena  has also given volunteered with adoption non-profits over the last decade and dedicated her academic career toward the pursuit of teaching and sharing the unique lived experiences of all members of the adoption constellation. Lena also teaches courses on the intersection of climate change and environmental justice. She holds a Master’s Certification in Environmental Education through the North American Association of Environmental Education. She has been a lifelong advocate for the natural world and its sentient beings. Lena is dedicated to the power of ‘each one, reach one, teach one’ and she strives to create communities of students, colleagues and friends who share the same mission.

Lena is also an adoptee of a closed adoption in 1966 and engaged in reunion with both of her first families. She is also a photographer with an emphasis social documentary story telling, wildlife, landscape and portrait photography. Some of her greatest joys are spending time in nature, rare and sweet moments with her two grown daughters and to be behind the camera telling stories and shining a light on people, places and sentient beings. For her, these stories matter now more than ever.”

Her recent social documentary work The Womxn’s Power Project can be found on Instagram at @womxnspowerproject. Other bodies of work can be found on her website at www.wildsoulphotographycolorado.com. 

GA-Genetic Attraction https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/eLibrary/Content/Internet/327/857/6802/42109163456.pdf

Music by Corey Quinn

Corissa Saint Laurent is an inspirational speaker, podcast host, and soul guide on a quest to create greater meaning, higher purpose, and true joy for herself and others. She shares her experiences and expertise as a healer and teacher of deep soul knowledge through inspiring events and classes, and broadcasting and publishing. Currently, Corissa is the VP of Marketing and Business Development for a rainwater harvesting company and at the helm of her brand offering consulting, speaking, and soul guidance.

 https://linktr.ee/corissasaintlaurent 

https://corissasaintlaurent.com/

https://theeverydaymystic.com/

Music by Corey Quinn

Eight adoptee writers who are guests from previous episodes share their wonderful pieces/essays to inspire and uplift the adoption constellation.

Barbara Robertson from Season 1, episode 9

Daryn Watson from Season 3, episode 43

Cynthia from Season 1, episode 7

Nancy McCaughey from Season 2, episode 22.

Danielle Orr from Season 5, episode 79

Carmen Hinkley from Season 1, episode 15

Lorah Gerald from Season 2, episode 29

Nomi Kaie from Season 2, episode 31

Music by Corey Quinn

Patrick Hawes was born in Asheville NC in August 1970.  He was officially adopted at 6 weeks old, but from birth was separated from his birth mother.  Patrick’s adoptive mother was Japanese and his adoptive father was American, so was raised in a bi-racial family, but in reverse since he is  Caucasian. Sadly, his adoptive father passed away when he was 4 years old.

It was no secret that Patrick was adopted once people took one look at his adoptive mother in any kind of social setting.  He was bullied in school for having an Asian mother and often kids would slant their eyes to him.

The loss of his adoptive dad as a young boy only enhanced his abandonment issues and living with an adoptive mom who spoke broken English while he didn’t speak Japanese made their relationship challenging to say the least.  After finding his birth family at the age of 45, Patrick began going to therapy to deal with the myriad issues that he had growing up.  He remembers his counselor telling him that he was “perfectly suited for brokenness “ because of all the things that happened to him; being adopted, losing his father at 4 years old, having an adoptive mother who didn’t truly understand how to help him. Patrick doesn’t regret searching for and finding his birth mom.  It was all a part of Gods master plan. 

Music by Corey Quinn

Rob Reese was born in Busan, South Korea, but was adopted to a family in Denver, Colorado. His parents were so supportive of him being in extracurricular activities, like getting his black belt in Tae Kwon Do and earning Eagle Scout. Rob attended Metropolitan State University of Denver and earned a B.A. in International Business. He has the ambition of becoming a business analyst and is currently a retail manager at a clothing company called, The Normal Brand, in Denver. He still resides in Denver and is excited for the next chapter of his life and seeing where things go from here.

Music by Corey Quinn

Ken R. DeStefano is a domestic adoptee that was born in the late 1960’s and raised in a caring and loving Italian home.  As an adoptee, he had a largely happy life, but always wondered about the unknown. That curiosity led to a search for his own birth mother and a recent reunification with her. 

It also led him to seek a deeper understanding of his own journey and that of his birth mother, ultimately inspiring him to write his debut novel, "I Will See You Again...Hearts Will Sing," available at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5DRHHMW.  The story is fictional but seeks to probe the very real feelings of displacement, abandonment, insecurity, and doubt that haunt some adoptees, while also exploring the loneliness and emotions of a young birth mother in that era.

He has been a practicing lawyer for over twenty-five years, is married for 27 years, and is a proud father of two adult children.  Late in life, he found swimming to be a source of peace and balance, and, against his better judgment, has done several open water distance swims.

Music by Corey Quinn

Brad Ewell an LDA late discovery adoptee, a husband, father, writer, and  a police officer of 26 years.  He made his adoption discovery in 2019 at 48 years old. Since that time he had his writing published in severancemag.com, told his story at a Moth main stage, been interviewed in several podcasts, and has a monthly column at http://www.lavendErluz.com/ 

Brad is in reunion with several members of his biological family and was able to help successfully advocate for his fathers release from prison.  His writing and podcasts can be found at https://linktr.ee/LDA_BRAD. and you may follow him on Instagram at a_late_discovery.

Recommended resource: https://righttoknow.us/ https://adoptee-voices.com/

Music by Corey Quinn