Exactly, thank you so much for picking up on that. The Gratitude I have now in people understanding more deeply about the experience of adoption is not the same type of gratitude I was expected to have growing up.

Thank you, I believe many people are much more aware and working harder to understand the experience through the perspective of children.

I am grateful for my father's ingenuity.

@@SaraJones-InclusionPro happy that you reunited with your family. Thanks for sharing your story. God bless you ❤️

Thank you, yes international adoptees have very similar experiences.

Thank you.Expressing vulnerabilities can be incredibly difficult for children who are adopted. I can identify with you and hope you know you aren't alone.

Thank you Marie-Josee. I really appreciate that.

Thank you, hopefully this generates some ideas for solutions such as 1) how do we build economic stability so children do not have to be adopted in the first place, and 2) if they must be adopted, how do we create emotionally safe environments for children to adapt to their new circumstances and even stay connected with their families of origin. Children who are adopted do not want people to feel bad for them. The economic circumstances and environmental circumstances they are raised in are very much out of their control.

Thank you, I am glad my message spoke to you.

@@SaraJones-InclusionPro The idea of adopting and raising a child one day (once I'm finally able to) has been on my mind for a while now and this was really eye-opening. Thank you for sharing your story!

@@notanartist9908 As a realist, I know that adoptions will continue to happen. There are a lot of groups that work to educate prospective parents about the realities of adoption, you'll find some great support.

Yes having your identity and background erased is tough for so many adoptees. There has been so much shame tied to parents who have their children adopted outside of their families. My father was smart, yet it was a very unpopular thing to do. I am grateful compared to so many adoptees who search for years (decades in some cases) to find their families.

Thank you, it was a very difficult talk to give.

Thank you Patty.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Thank you for your generous and lovely note.

Thank you!

Thank you, children who are adopted did not have a choice. So I hope my talk empowers them to honor their feelings and journey.

You definitely have to decide for yourself. There are many hard stories of people who seek their birth family only to find a lot of disappointment. Good luck in your adoption journey, wherever that takes you!

Thank you, was thrilled to be invited to share more on NPR TED Radio hour. Thanks for listening and watching!

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@@venkataramarajuilla what?

Stupid

Yes and really I was 3 years old. Many three year old children are quite verbal and intelligent at that age. I am sure I knew what was happening.

@@SaraJones-InclusionPro could u at least write me do u have an email? Please understand my birth mother looks nothing like me of course she didn't care. I don't have any money to give u but I need your support

Thank you, I am so very grateful.

Thank you, I wanted people to understand from a child's point of view that the adoption experience can be quite traumatic, different from the adoptive parent narrative I grew up with.

Thank you so much for watching and sharing.

Thank you!

Thank you for watching!

Thank you for saying that. Yes my journey is my own and I advocate in my talk for each adoptee owning their own story.

Thank you so much!

I was very lucky that my name was not changed. I did not know until I found my birth family. Many children from Korean have different names so it is hard to find their birth families.

Yes I believe everyone agrees that transracial specifically refers to when a child of one race is adopted by a parent of a different race. No one disputes that. I am not sure where your observation of conflict between adoptees who have different adoptive experiences comes from. But my hope is that we will be empathetic to all adoption journeys as being unique to the individual.

You speak as if emotions are rational, and yet they are not.

We’re not all the same and that makes life beautiful and interesting.

@@devnerdgirl4638 No, we are all humans. Nothing special.

I agree with you. I am explaining my experience growing up. I don't ever say that I am the only one who experienced that. And by sharing common experiences, we better learn to empathize with each other.