32nd Annual Protecting Our Children: National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect

NICWA is pleased to announce that at this year's Protecting Our Children Annual Conference, First Nations Repatriation Institute Founder and Director Sandy White Hawk will facilitate a special meeting for American Indian and Alaska Native adoptees, former foster children, and their birth relatives.

The session is open to anyone touched by adoption. Participants are welcome to share their experiences or just come and listen. White Hawk will lead the discussion on what it was like growing up not having words to describe what adoptees experienced. She states, "We can share our stories and find out we are not alone."

White Hawk is quick to emphasize, "We will not bash our adoptive parents. Coming to terms with our adoption experience does not mean we encourage separation from our adoptive parents or relatives. There are those who are estranged from their adoptive parents, others who are not. And still others suffer from rejection of adoptive parents with whom they would like to have relationship. It is complicated. We support each other in our process, wherever we are within that journey."

Birth mothers, fathers, and other relatives are also encouraged to attend. White Hawk elaborates, "Adoption impacts everyone. Our birth mothers and fathers have often suffered the loss of their children without the benefit of any resource to express the pain, confusion, and guilt associated with relinquishing a child. We want to give them space to tell their stories. There are also birth mothers and fathers who don't experience these negative things, which we are also grateful for and invite their participation too. All are welcome."

FMI: www.nicwa.org/conference/