NICWA
is pleased to announce that at this year's Protecting Our Children
Annual Conference, First Nations Repatriation Institute Founder and
Director Sandy Whit
e 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/
