Presenters: Marianne Novy, Lori Delale-O'Connor, Jerry Dickinson, Christina Newhill

This workshop will help people in adoptive families and those who work with adoptees talk with each other about race and adoption, something many families find difficult. It will give them background about the various histories of domestic and transnational transracial adoption, and about theories of racial identity development, which often emphasize the need to know your history, to see people who look like you, and to learn about people you can identify with if you feel different from those around you.

Participants will learn how racism as a system of oppression affects transracial adoptees’ lives as it connects with other systems of oppression such as classism, sexism, and what Raible calls adultism. Because of these interconnected systems of oppression, adoptees may be raised and forced to attend school in hostile environments. Participants will learn how adoptees and their families can learning more about their own adoption histories, engage in collective action, work for racial justice, and educate others about transracial adoption.

Participants will receive suggestions for reading about transracial adoption, including some memoirs of transracial adoptees. The workshop will give them knowledge that will help their personal growth and deepen their family relationships. They will be prepared to promote education about adoption in schools at all levels and in the training of professionals

Register

If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at diversity@pitt.edu by July 21

This workshop is a part of the 2021 Diversity Forum.