In our CAS Project, we raised awareness of interracial adoption, through a presentation and discussion. We presented information on the struggles of self-identity as an adoptee of an interracial/multi-cultural family (specifically that does not include the racial identity of the adopted). Our main goal was to create a space in which to validate the complexity of being adopted by a family that does not share your racial identity. Adoption alone presents a pressing question of self-identity and is a unique journey that differs from what is considered the more "standard"/"normal" coming of age experience.

Through discussion, we hoped to validate the participants' experiences as well as answer/discuss questions about the phenomenon. For us, it has been difficult not having a space to discuss adoption and even more specifically being adopted by parents of another race and attending a clearly white-dominated school. We conducted a virtual presentation (given the COVID-19 situation) that while focusing on the struggles/experiences of adopted children in interracial families, also spoke to the experience of anyone of multi-cultural/multi-racial family/background.

Workshop Presentation