The Anna Jinja Show brings together adoptees across generations for a powerful discussion on surviving—and thriving through—life's most difficult transitions
There's a moment in every young person's life when the world feels like it's consuming them whole. The pressure to fit in. The confusion about who you are. The rage at being different. For adoptees, these universal struggles carry an added weight.
Ell Pyle is a young adoptee, talented singer, and barista at Donkey Coffee. For this episode, members of the local band Basket Case prepared something special: they selected one of their own songs for Ell and recorded a message explaining why.
The song? "Eaten Alive."
"I wrote this song about feeling like I was kind of being eaten alive by all these emotions and all these changes," explains Izze Kaukonen, vocalist for Basket Case and herself an adoptee. "If you don't take a second to take a step back, it really can eat you alive and it can be all-consuming."
But why this song for Ell?
Izze continues: "A lot of that feeling of being eaten alive was feeling like kind of other, like another. And a lot of that definitely came from being, you know, a minority, being adopted, just having a unique life experience in contrast to your peers."
The Advice That Transcends Age
What emerges from this conversation is wisdom that applies far beyond the adoptee experience or teenage years.
On owning your difference:
"You got to own that you are different than the people around you, because that is an awesome thing, truly," Izze shares. "I used to be so ashamed of it. But then I started just being myself. And it makes you so happy to just be yourself."
On accepting love during difficult times:
Cass Wilhelm, Basket Case's other member featured in the episode, reflects on their own turbulent teenage years: "The only really advice that I can think of is to try your hardest to fall back on that love and to accept the love... I think that for anyone that's in that state, lashing out and feeling really frustrated and pissed off, I think that it's easy to forget how important love is."
On finding community:
When asked what advice she'd give to struggling adoptees, Elle offers this: "Their inner circle is called an inner circle because there are more circles that you can go out and branch out to. If you feel alone, you can find your community."
The Universal in the Specific
While this episode centers adoptee experiences, its themes are universal. Who hasn't felt different? Who hasn't lashed out at the people who love them most? Who hasn't wondered if they'll survive the transition to the next phase of life?
As host Anna Jinja notes, "This song is timeless for how life can feel like you're going to be eaten alive, but we can get through it if we can get through it together."
Why This Matters
In a world that often isolates us in our struggles, episodes like this remind us that connection is the antidote. Whether through music, conversation, or simply being seen by others who understand, we find our way forward.
Elle's closing message to her parents captures the heart of the episode: "Thank you for being my parents. My real parents raised me, took care of me, punished me when I did stupid things. And you stick by me even through the highs and lows."
And to adoptees everywhere, she offers: "You're not alone."
Why you should listen:
Whether you're 16 or 60, adopted or not, this conversation speaks to the universal experience of feeling "other" and the power of community to help us through. It's honest, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeful.
Plus, the song absolutely rocks.
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