Dr. Frank Gaertner is the Senior Associate Director of Academic Advising at the Emory College of Arts and Sciences. Anna and Dr. Gaertner discuss his 35 years career in academic and student affairs where he works primarily with South Korean students, and how it informed his dissertation. Kim Hanken, a previous guest, serves on the board of Korean Cultural Connection of Iowa. Kim shares a poem that she had read for the Atlanta Victims vigil held in Des Moines, Iowa. The poem was written by a Korean American and the struggles she faced. The poem is titled Choi Jeong Min written by FRANNY CHOI. Dr. Gaertner and Anna discuss their responses to the poem. 

Support the show

What do adoption, art, and creativity all have in common? Tune into a conversation with artist, social entrepreneur, and the founder of Passion Works Studio, Patty Mitchell to find out! Patty discusses how she chooses to empower marginalized populations. Passion Works Studio is a place where no voice, no resource, and no region are abandoned as the studio fosters purpose, connection, and belonging.

Sarah Schneider surprise guest (friend) read a piece that she wrote to honor their friendship and ways that Patty makes a difference for others

Support the show

What do an earthquake, the San Andreas Fault, pizza, and an opera singer who is an adoptee have to do with our guest, Debra Rentz, and Athens Poet Laureate, Stephanie Kendrick? Tune in and find out!

Support the show

Ana Hays McCracken, author of Redacted—A Memoir of Adoption, shares the story of her twenty-two-year search for identity and how she comes to terms with the missing pieces of her personal story.  

Ian Vidovic, a musician from Portland, Oregon, selected for this episode a song that is based around a character who knows that there is something or someone that is a part of them and is struggling with the distance between them. 

Tune in to find out if you think that the echoes of the vocals symbolizing distance between the characters and calling out to them match Ana’s story. 

Support the show

Holly Marlow is the mother of two children, one biological and one adopted, and an author of Delly Duck, a children's book about adoption. Holly discusses with Anna how she became an author and the beauty of different types of families.  

Support the show

 Ellie Olin is a business owner, belly dancer, and adoptee. She shares what she learned about herself after finding her biological family after taking the 23 and Me genetic test. Claire Steele, a British writer and writing coach, joins the conversation to read a poem she selected for Ellie and to talk about creativity.

Support the show