These are our full stories.
"In the thirty-five years since China instituted its One-Child Policy, 120,000 children—mostly girls—have left China through international adoption, including 85,000 to the United States. It’s generally assumed that this diaspora is the result of China’s approach to population control, but there is also the underlying belief that the majority of adoptees are daughters because the One-Child Policy often collides with the traditional preference for a son. While there is some truth to this, it does not tell the full story."
- Kay Ann Johnson, China's Hidden Children
As a Chinese adoptee, I often reflect on my identity and question what it means to me. I’m still trying to figure it out but I’ve found that conversations with my friends who are also Chinese adoptees have validated some of the feelings and challenges I’ve experienced and made me feel less alone. I wanted to create a space where we can share, listen, and connect with one another.
Many media texts highlight the adoptive parent(s)’s perspective, but few feature the adoptee’s perspective.
Beyond Adoption is about providing an outlet for adoptees to tell their stories; how this part of our identity impacts how we carry ourselves in a life we weren't born into. While we share this one part of our identity, everyone has their own story. These are the full stories - about our adoption and beyond.
Thank you to all the participants who have trusted me and allowed me to share their stories through this platform, I have loved talking and collaborating with each and every one of you. It means a lot.
By no means does the official publication of this Beyond Adoption entail that our stories are done or that there are no more stories to tell. The intention of Beyond Adoption is to expand, educate, and connect. Let's keep the conversation going.
- Ava Letterie (Creator)
This website was started as a project for Professor Lin’s Media Arts and Culture course at Occidental College (MAC 250: Media Activism through Participatory Video) under the Mellon Arts and Technology Initiative.