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Korean American
Adoptee Adoptive Family Network |
News
January 25, 2009 |
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2009 KAAN Conference |
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2009 KAAN Conference |
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The 2009 KAAN Conference will be held in Denver, July 31 to Aug 2, 2009. Our theme will be: Extending the Family of Korean Adoption. Registration will open in early February at www.kaanconference.com |
A Euro-American on a Korean Tour at a Thai Restaurant in China : With
each chapter examining issues that interethnic adoptive families experience, Chris
Winston weaves her own perspective on her adoption experience with perspectives
related to her by her own children, adopted adults, other adoptive parents, birth
parents, Koreans, Korean Americans, and Asian Americans. While the book’s focus
is on experiences with Korean adoption, the experiences are transferable to inter-ethnic
adoptions from any country. Author's
speaking engagements... |
Pushing Up the Sky : This is the story of a remarkable family facing
incredible challenges of cancer while simultaneously figuring out how to weave their
adopted children's Korean heritage and racial ethnicity into their family. It is a story of
compromises and insights, profound joy, deep suffering, and terrific rewards. Parenting birth
and adopted children — is one theme of this book. Most of all, it is a story on the meaning
of family, and learning to let go of expectations and to forge a new identity. Author's
speaking engagements... |
| Proceeds from book sales support the KAAN Conference. Purchase your copy at www.kaanet.com/books/ | |
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Chinese Americans and Asian Americans ought to be rejoicing Obama’s amazing election victory. In many ways, he is like us. Read More: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu |
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Chinese outside of the U.S. may find it hard to imagine, but for those of us native-born, American-raised or immigrants living in the U.S., too often we as Chinese Americans feel invisible
in the U.S. Racialized with other Asian Americans, traditional K-12 curriculum and textbooks exclude us, Hollywood stereotypes us, Fortune 500 boards - along with other major business & government
enterprises -tokenize us, and public discourse discounts our voices. Read More: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu |
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White prospective parents sometimes approach adoption with the idea that they can successfully raise a child of a race different from their own, as long as the child is from a racial background
they believe will be accepted by their community. Because it results in greater adoption opportunities for them, these parents benefit most from the myth that race is not an issue for Latino or Asian
children. Read More: http://www.adoptinfo.net |
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Using a favorite doll and a logic children can follow, one mother enlightens her daughter's curious class. Read More: http://www.adopting.org |
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So far, each step I have taken into my future daughter's world has taught me nearly as much about myself as it has about her culture. Read More: http://www.adopting.org |
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For instance, when people reached Mexico, they had to work longer than 9 hours a day, and many people died without proper medication. Their payment was less than what was stated in the
advertisement. Also, Aenikkaengs were treated similar to slaves. Read More: http://www.zum.de |
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The United States Forces Korea (USFK) has turned a blind eye to allegations that U.S. base personnel have adopted Korean children who wish to attend American schools in army bases in exchange
for money and other irregularities. Read More: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr
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Award-winning author MariJo Moore asked women from around the world to consider the devastating nature of conflict inner wars, outer wars, public battles, and personal losses. Their answers, in the form of poignant poetry and essays, examine war in all its permutations, beginning in 60 CE and continuing into the 21st century, from Ireland to Iraq and everywhere in between. With contributions from both well-known and first-time writers, this moving anthology encompasses a wide range of voices a Blitz evacuee, an ex-slave, an incarcerated mother, former military personnel, survivors of domestic violence, those who have battled drugs and disease, and many other courageous women willing to share their unique and timeless insight on the realities of war. Includes a selection for Terra Trevor's book, Pushing Up The Sky. Available through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com |
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Mapping Multiple Histories of Korean American Transnational Adoption http://uskoreainstitute.org Note: (There is some very good history of the Korean Adoption community here. We agree that the summary where KAAN is mentioned does capture the sense of the challenges faced in defining both the adoptee community and the greater Korean adoption community and our attempts to work together. We would however like to clarify KAAN's outreach to the adoptee initially organizing the 2004 Gathering in Seoul. Before learning that the 2004 Gathering was to be held in Seoul, KAAN had begun to plan a KAAN Conference in Seoul for 2004. Upon learning of the 2004 Gathering KAAN suggested working together to have a KAAN Conference in Korea at the time the 2004 Gathering was held in Seoul. It is not correct that adoptive parents associated with KAAN leadership wanted to attend the Gathering. KAAN leadership agreed that the Gathering should be first and be for adult adoptees only. KAAN's proposal was to have the 2004 KAAN conference in Seoul on the weekend following the Gathering. KAAN wanted to work under the leadership of the adoptees planning the Gathering and have their outreach be the link to Korea. This proposal was rejected by the adult adoptee orginally facilitating the 2004 Gathering in Korea because he felt that seeking funding for both conferences might conflict and that they wanted the enviornment in Seoul at the time of the Gathering to center around adult adoptees. Because KAAN has always believed in working to define appropriate boundaries and believes in adult adoptee only spaces, KAAN advertised the Gathering in the KAAN newsletter to let adult adoptees know about the opportunity and avoided a presence in Seoul. The 2004 KAAN Conference was held in San Francisco on a weekend that allowed adult adoptees who wanted to do so to attend the KAAN Conference as well as the Gathering. A KAAN Conference was eventually held in Korea in 2007. It should be noted that there and always have been adult adoptees within the leadership of KAAN. All adult adopted programming at the KAAN Conferences is selected and planned by these adoptees.h One other small clarification - KAAN does believe that adoptees under the age of 18 do not only become adoptees when they reach 18. We believe that adoptees deserve to have their heritage and adoption related needs addressed from the beginning of their placement in an adoptive family. It is not within the capacity of adoptive parents to do this without connection to Koreans and Korean Americans. Both the visibility and the lack of visibilty of adoptive families lead to the callenge of defining boundaries. Two points which often conflict with each other seem to cause particular trouble. 1) Whether or not some adoptees experience a less than positive adoption experience and eventual estrangement from their adoptive families, most adoptees do consider their adoptive family as a permanent family into adulthood. Even those who find some aspects of Korean adoption troubling, do not necessarily have bad relationships with their adoptive parents. When adoptive families are not visible, Koreans and Korean Americans may not acknowledge that adoptees of whatever age are part of a family. This seems sometimes to lead to adult adoptees being seen as "tragic victims," rather than as the complex and competent adults that they are. 2) Adoptees, even those who are not adopted interethnically, can be seen by society as a perpetual "adopted child." This means that adoptees often have to fight to be heard and recognized as adults. When the adoptive family is visible, adult adoptees can find themselves feeling pushed back into the "child" role. This history by Kim Park Nelson can engender some good discussion among our adoption community members. Send your thoughts to us at newsletter@kaanet.com and we will include them in the newsletter.) |
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Elna Baker reads her story about the time she worked at the giant toy store, FAO Schwartz. Her job was to sell these lifelike “newborns” which were displayed in a “nursery” inside the store. When the toys become the hot new present, they begin to fly off the shelves. When the white babies sell out, white parents are faced with a choice: will they go for an Asian, Latino, or African-American baby instead? What happens is so disturbing that Elna has a hard time even telling it. (16 minutes) Scroll to act three http://www.thisamericanlife.org |
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When some folks retire, they search out a good recliner, a pair of comfy slippers and a remote control. But as Reed Galin reports, a group of Korean immigrants in Georgia is tackling retirement by attending school and learning more about their adopted country. http://www.umtv.org |
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UNICEF’s flagship publication, ‘The State of the World’s Children 2009’ – launched today in South Africa – addresses maternal mortality, one of the most intractable problems for development
work. http://www.unicef.org |
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Finding the right programs for kids of all ages with reading challenges. http://www.adlit.org |
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Hi all, URL: http://www.goal.or.kr
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1. Employment Opportunities with G.O.A.'L We currently has several open positions for adoptees looking to work in post-adoption services: - Counseling / Development (Full-Time) - Birth Family Search (Part-Time) - Volunteer Service Projects (volunteers) For more info download the .pdf attachment at: http://goal.or.kr 2. 2009 Winter Edition of The OAK Hard copies are available at the G.O.A.'L office and can be picked up for free. Members living in Korea and organizations abroad will receive copies soon. The online version will be available shortly. 3. Renew your 2009 G.O.A.'L Membership Continue to take advantage of great benefits while supporting our community! http://goal.or.kr As always, we thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you again soon! Sincerely, The G.O.A.'L Family |
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My name is Stephanie Day. I am a Korean adoptee and a doctoral candidate in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I am looking for Korean adopted women to participate in an online survey about how they see themselves and others (approximately 35-45 minutes). I am looking for Korean adopted women who: - are between 25 and 40 years old - are in a romantic relationship with a man for at least 8 months - have two Asian or Korean birth parents (as far as you know) - were adopted by two White parents AND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING - have no children and do not plan to have a child within the next 2 years - plan to have their first child biologically in the next 2 years (if you are currently pregnant, this also means you) OR - have one or more biological child who have not started kindergarten yet
If you are interested in participating in a research study survey, I would love to hear from you. You will be entered in a raffle for one of two $50 gift cards as a token of appreciation for your participation. Please contact me if you have any questions about this research. If you know someone who might be interested in participating, feel free to forward this notice widely! Thank you! |
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Hi there fellow Adoptees and friends... I was just accepted into the Doctorate of Design program at Washington State University and I am moving forward with my research. My Korean Adoptee survey is
live. Please go to this link within one week and participate in the survey. I would really appreciate it if all of my friends would participate!! : } Please feel free to forward this
on to any adoptee groups and your friends so that I will be able to collect valuable data. Please see my research interest resume below: Deborah's formal exposure to the Korean adoptee community began with her attendance at the First Annual Korean American Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) Conference in the summer of 1999 in Los Angeles, California. As an adoptee herself, Deborah's adoptee experience was rich and rewarding with a supportive network of family and friends. With hesitation, Deborah attended the conference, and after attendance of sessions with adoptees and adoptive parents, Deborah immediately empathized with adoptees' heartfelt stories of alienation and a sense of confusion for feeling American on the inside and looking Korean/Asian on the outside. Having grown up in an environment with no ethnic identification, Deborah contemplated, is there an event in the adoptees' life that enables ethnic reconstruction for the adoptee to embrace their Korean ethnicity with pride? Deborah's first trip back to her homeland initiated her sense of ethnic identity. From that first conference in 1999 to present research interests, Deborah has continued to be involved in adoptee and adoptive parent networks, especially in support of the best interest of the child. Thank you friends, I hope we can meet again soon, maybe at the next Gathering! Love, Deborah |
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Asian American Theater Company (AATC) and One4 All Theater are looking for new actors for their 2009 seasons. Actors can choose to audition using the Workshop Audition and/or Monologue Audition format. - AATC seeks actors for its mainstage shows, staged reading series, and New Works Incubator program. - One4All Theater seeks actors for its improv troupe, Hobofish; sketch comedy troupe, Kamikaze Theory; and Performance Workshop. Strong improvisers encouraged. Many roles are available and 5 directors will be present. We are looking specifically for Asian American actors but both AATC and One4All have many non-Asian roles requiring casting for the 2009 season. AATC maintains an open submission policy, so if you are not able to schedule an audition at this time, we encourage actors to submit their resumes and headshots so that we can contact you for future opportunities. Date: Sunday, February 8, 2009 Workshop Audition: 2:00 - 4:30pm Monologue Audition: 5:00 - 6:30pm * Workshop Audition involves improv exercises, group work, short sketches, and no scripts. * Monologue Audition involves the traditional audition format of a prepared monologue (comedic or dramatic) and some scene cold-reads. To schedule an audition time slot, please email Elaine Chu at lainechu@gmail.com and: (1) Specify Workshop Audition, Monologue Audition, or both (2) Please include an electronic copy of your resume and headshot, as well as indicating any union affiliations A confirmation notice will be sent with location and further details. http://www.asianamericantheater.org |
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The University of Maryland Department of Family Sciences and The Center for Adoption Support and Education are working together to facilitate this important national study of transracial adoptive families. Be part of cutting-edge research to help families like yours! Focus of the Study |
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The Ties Program is the longest standing and most comprehensive adoptive family homeland journey organization in the United States. Now in our 15th year and 12th country, we are honored
to have been a part of so many identity building experiences of adoptees and their families. As our organization moves forward, we see lots of possibilities for young adult adoptees to be involved in helping younger adoptees integrate their birth heritage. We would love to see that happen as an integral part of The Ties Program, and invite you to think about your strengths and passions, and how the understanding you have gained as an adoptee might be passed down to the next generation. Many of you know that our hope for the future is to have The Ties Program run entirely by YOUR generation of adoptees, a legacy we would be proud to leave. Introducing .... "Today's Talents--Tomorrow's Leaders." Here are some examples of how young adult adoptees are already part of what we are doing. As you read, we hope you will be thinking, "What could I do?" and be inspired to contact us with your interest and ideas.
So many possibilities!!! We'd love to hear how you'd like to be involved! "Today's Talents, Tomorrow's Leaders" Be part of something REALLY special. Becca Piper & Bea Evans Co-Directors The Ties Program 10520 W. Bluemound Rd. Wauwatosa, WI 53226 www.AdoptiveFamilyTravel.com 1 800 398-3676 travel office The Ties Program is the longest standing and most comprehensive adoptive family homeland journey organization in the United States. We are committed to providing extensive preparation, meaningful (and fun!) programming, and resources for post-travel processing and assistance. Programs open: Korea, Peru, Paraguay, India, China, Guatemala, Chile, Russia, Romania, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and soon Ethiopia. Other programs will open based on interest from families. "Connect the World with Kindness" by supporting World Ties humanitarian projects. See "AID/World Ties" tab at the top of www.AdoptiveFamilyTravel.com |
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My name is Karen Foli. As an adoptive mother, I believe in adoption. Most families who are formed through adoption are high-functioning, happy families. But I also know that tremendous loss sometimes accompanies adoption and some families struggle. As coauthor of the book, The Post-Adoption Blues: Overcoming the Unforeseen Challenges of Adoption (Rodale 2004), I have a passionate interest in understanding the presence of depression in adoptive parents after the child is placed in the home. As an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Purdue University, I know there are many stories about post-adoption depression on the Internet and within agencies and families, but sadly, very little formal research has been conducted on this topic. Despite the absence of research, in the past eighteen months, major newspapers -- both here and abroad including the new York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer -- have covered the topic of "post-adoption depression." Clearly, something is going on -- something worthy of formal and rigorous investigation. My overarching goal is to promote healthy families and in response to my book, I've received e-mails from parents and professionals expressing their beliefs in how vital it is to understand parental post-adoption depression. Pat Johnston, Publisher, Perspectives Press and moderator of this list, has reviewed the survey and sanctions its use. We both encourage members of the Adoption Umbrella Group to participate with the assurance that their responses are confidential and anonymous. Specifically, the Social Research Institute (SRI) in the Department of Sociology at Purdue University is helping with this survey. In hosting this Internet survey, SRI uses state-of-the-art software that encrypts responses as they are received, which ensures that all responses are strictly confidential. Their software also enables a participant to leave and then return to the survey at the same spot where they left off. In other words, the survey, which is a little on the long side due to the lack of previous research, can be timely resumed right where you left off without having to start over. In addition, the data collection effort is supervised by Dr. Greg Gibson, SRI's Project Director. The study has been approved by Purdue's Institutional Review Board (IRB), which means that the study has undergone rigorous scrutiny by an array of research professionals in an effort to help guarantee the safety of people providing information. In other words, a number of important checks have been deployed and satisfied to ensure the confidentiality of your responses. Your answers will help many parents who believe they have to suffer in silence and shame if they do become depressed. It will go a long way in collecting valuable information that professionals (like you) will be able to use in the future. When a parent becomes depressed, the child(ren) suffer, the family suffers, and the parent suffers. Research has shown that children of a depressed parent are often delayed in important and measurable ways. They simply don't get the feedback they need. The adoption process suffers, too. I ask for your help in gathering information that will help ease this suffering and promote healthy adoptive families. Without your help, future adoptive parents may be left to suffer in silence. Again, I urge you to participate in this valuable survey. As an adoption professional or advocate, you have knowledge that no one else has. You see firsthand the adoption experience and are on the "front lines" working with parents and children who create families through adoption. There are three simple steps to access the survey: First, click on the link below or paste this URL into your browser's address bar: <http://128.210.85.150>http://128.210.85.150 Second, pick a number between 1 -- 2000 for the Login ID. If the number you pick does not work, just select a different number until it does work. Third, enter the word "adopt" (without the quotation marks) as the password. Since the survey is rather long, we suggest that you write down your Login ID/number so that you can complete this important survey in multiple session if necessary. Using your same selected number in a follow up session should take you back to where you left off. in the survey. I hope you will respond to the survey, understanding the importance of your contribution. If you have already completed the survey, we appreciate your sharing your thoughts with us. All people responding to the survey should be 18 years and older to take the survey. Again, I remind you that your participation is completely voluntary and you can decline to answer any question that makes you feel uncomfortable. Thanks in advance for your help, time, and contribution. Respectfully, Karen J. Foli Karen J. Foli, Ph.D. Assistant Professor School of Nursing Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana Tel: 765/494/4023 kfoli@purdue.edu Perspectives Press, Inc. For 25 years (1982-2007) THE Infertility and Adoption Publisher PO Box 90318, Indianapolis, IN 46290-0318 USA *phone (317)872-3055 visit our website at http://www.perspectivespress.com |
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Call for Papers "A Long and Tumultuous Relationship" East-West Interchanges in American Art October 1-2, 2009 Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Paper submissions are invited for this symposium, which will address the complicated interactions between American and Asian artists and visual traditions from the eighteenth century to the present. Scholars are encouraged to send in proposals engaging all media of visual art, and including craft, architecture, and the moving image. Original, innovative scholarship is sought investigating all manner of artistic interchanges, including issues of patronage, art markets, and popular culture, and engaging a wide range of geographic sites where these exchanges took place. The title for our symposium stems from the writings of Bert Winther-Tamaki, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, who talks in his book Art in the Encounter of Nations about the need to avoid merely binary understandings of U.S.-Asian cultural exchanges and to steer clear of expectations that East and West have "core characteristics." Earlier scholarship often has looked at the Asian influence on American art as a unidirectional and limited development, suggesting that Asian culture was unchanging and monolithic while characterizing American artists as dynamic and original in their ability to absorb and meld the best of diverse cultures. This symposium aims to consider instead what Winther-Tamaki calls the "contentious interdependency" born out of a "long and tumultuous relationship" between these cultures. Scholarship is invited that complicates or reimagines the historical meanings of "East" and "West" as well as terms such as "orientalism" through the prism of multi-directional cultural exchange. The symposium will recognize that the "East" is made up of a wide variety of countries -- not just Japan and China, whose influence on American art has been most discussed to date. In addition to high-art visual exchanges, interdisciplinary explorations of immigration, border cultures, and transnational flows in popular culture are welcome. "A Long and Tumultuous Relationship": East-West Interchanges in American Art is being organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) in partnership with the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, and is supported by a generous grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art. To submit a paper, please send a two-page, double-spaced abstract (300-500 words) and a short c.v. to East-West Symposium, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, Victor Building, MRC 970, Washington D.C. 20013-7012. Proposals may also be submitted via e-mail to SAAMSymposium@si.edu. Proposals must be received by February 20, 2009. Confirmed speakers will be required to submit the text of their 20-minute symposium presentations by September 1, 2009. A final text of the essay with endnotes will be due by January 5, 2010, for possible publication in the symposium proceedings. The symposium will be available for viewing in a simultaneous and, later, an archived webcast. |
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Application Deadline: March 15, 2009 Through grassroots organizing, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development seeks to bridge divisions created by war, nation, gender, sexual orientation, language, class, and generation among Koreans and to empower our community to address the injustices we and other people of color face here and abroad. Nodutdol works in collaboration with other progressive organizations locally, nationally and internationally as part of a larger movement for peace and social change. To learn more about Nodutdol, go to www.nodutdol.org. In 2009, Nodutdol, as part of a national coalition, will launch a national campaign for the ratification of a Peace Treaty on the Korean peninsula. Summer interns will assist in the campaign in many different ways, and responsibilities may include: Studying the origin of Korea's national division and the history of the people's movement for peace and national unification; Surveying Korean American youth and students to assess general attitudes on the prospect for peace and unification on the Korean peninsula; Developing workshops and educational materials aimed at reaching and mobilizing a broad base of Korean American youth and students in the campaign; Developing outreach materials and utilizing mass media to promote a national Peace Treaty tour; Making contacts with student organizations on local campuses to arrange workshops and other educational events; Bringing together student leaders from various campuses and organizations to form a host committee for the national Peace Treaty tour; and Facilitating workshops and giving presentations at schools, churches, and community organizations. Internship will be 10 weeks from June through August. (Exact dates/times TBD.) For inquiries, call 718 335 0419. Send resumes and cover letters no later than March 15, 2009 to: Summer Internship Search Committee Nodutdol for Korean Community Development 5322 Roosevelt Ave, 2 floor Woodside NY 11377 Or to nodutdol@yahoogroups.com __._,_.___ |
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NPCL ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FATHERHOOD CONFERENCE JUNE 16-19, 2009 TREMONT PLAZA HOTEL in BALTIMORE, MD EMAIL: jjconferencecoordinator@gmail.com for any additional conference details
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To Whom This May Concern: Free tickets available for adoption community members. Contact kpkwang@aol.com
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Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lunar New Year Celebration and Flower Market Sunday, January 25, 2009, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | An Indoor Event 900 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225 718.623.7200 FREE with Garden Admission: Adults $8 ; Seniors (65 and over) $4 ; Students 12+ with valid IDs $4 ; Children under 12 Free Extraordinary dance and music programs, exquisitely crafted costumes, and our luxurious fresh-cut flower market will delight the whole family. Enjoy an afternoon of colorful performances by Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera and DVL Dance Vietnam. Families can celebrate the Year of the Ox by joining paper-crafts workshops, storytelling presentations, planting their own narcissus bulbs, and practicing qigong breathing exercises, and adults can explore the art of Chinese brush painting. Savor traditional foods and take a Mandarin- or English-language Garden tour featuring plants from China, Korea, and Vietnam. Note: Performances and workshops have limited capacity and are first come, first served. In China, Korea, and Vietnam, flowers are said to bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year. Delight in the lavish colors and scents of peach blossoms, citrus trees, flowering quinces, and seasonal fresh-cut flowers at Brooklyn Botanic Garden's flower market in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Vist http://www.bbg.org for a complete schedule and directions |
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Silvia Murphy and Sarah Summers are hostessing a "Family Gathering for Adopted Korean Children" this coming Sunday, Jan. 25th - 1 to 3pm at St. Helen's Church in Norwell. We encourage any family and friends that are interested to join us for this gathering. Hostesses: Sarah Summers and Silvia Murphy Location: St. Helen's Church Hall (back building) 383 Washington Street - Norwell, MA 02061 US When: Sunday, January 25, 1:00PM to 3PM Families with adopted children from Korea and any friends of all ages are invited to join this afternoon gathering from 1 to 3 p.m. We will have crafts and other activities. Refreshments and snacks will be served. This is not a fundraiser. We are requesting $5 per family to cover costs. Please RSVP so we have an accurate count of families. For Love the Children families we will be collecting donations -- new toys and baby supplies -- to send to Eastern Welfare Society in Korea. PLEASE RSVP if you ARE attending. Thanks! Sarah Summers jssummers@comcast.net |
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2009 Adoption Education We invite you to spend an evening with a group of adoptees who would like to share their stories with adoptive families. This evening will focus on the adoptees’ feelings about their adoption, issues of culture and identity, openness in adoption, and birth families. FCA is committed to providing parents with the ongoing education and resources to guide them through the joys and challenges of raising an adopted child. Our next education session will be in March – details to follow! To reserve your place, Please call Linda Hall at (203) 855-8765 or e-mail lhall@fcagency.org There will be a $10 per person registration fee, which can be paid prior to the event or at the door. Please make checks payable to “FCA”
Family & Children’s Agency (FCA) is a not-for-profit family serving agency that strengthens the communities of lower Fairfield County, Connecticut. Skilled professionals serve clients in seven primary impact areas: youth development, family support, foster care, adoption, mental health and substance abuse services, homeless services, and services for seniors. For more information, visit www.familyandchildrensagency.org or call Family & Children’s Agency at 203.855.8765. |
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Understanding Trauma and its Role in Pre-payment and pre-registration required. |
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Saturday, January 31 Library directions: 717.774-7820 (call for navigation help only) Free admission … donations accepted. Join us to celebrate the Lunar New Year, central-Pennsylvania Korean-style! This year’s program includes: 2:00 Food, conversation, and games 2:30 Announcements Talent show ** 3:30 More conversation and games (yutnori, storytelling, favorite Board games …) 4:00 Departure
** Our family-friendly talent show has become a tradition all its own. Last year’s performers included singers, violinist, and tae kwon do student. Children and adults are invited to share a talent. Please sign up by January 26 if possible.
All are encouraged to bring favorite snacks and Board games to share before and after the talent show. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please let us know!
RSVP and sign up for the talent show by January 26 at info@ta-ri.org or (717) 574-3629. We will email all registrants should wintry weather affect plans. |
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The Lifelong Impact of Adoption Lecture & discussion by Marlou Russell, Ph.D. Saturday, January 31st, 2009 Santa Monica College Santa Monica Airport Campus 3171 S. Bundy Dr., Room #212 Los Angeles CA 90066 1pm -4pm $35 per person Free parking on campus
Marlou Russell, Ph.D. is a psychologist, adoptee in reunion, and the author of Adoption Wisdom: A Guide to the Issues and Feelings of Adoption.
This class is for adult adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, those considering adoption, therapists, attorneys, the media, and anyone interested in the emotional and psychological aspects of adoption.
To register online:
For more information contact:
Marlou Russell, Ph.D. 1452 26th Street, Suite 103 Santa Monica, CA 90404 Phone (310) 829-1438 Email: marlourussell@hotmail.com Website: www.marlourussellphd.com |
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Upcoming Workshops/Events in January 2009!
Jan 13th- Adoption Readiness (Portland, OR) Instructor: Mina Bacigalupi This four-session series is designed to cover most recommended pre-adoption education topics and to supplement agency trainings for international or domestic adoption
Jan 20th- Kid/Youth Group Activity (Portland, OR) Facilitator: Astrid Dabbeni Groups are for adopted youth (grade school through teens), and are led by a team of adult adoptees. Topics include: Adoptees in the Media, Where Adoptees Can Go For Support, Adoption and Identity, Effective and Empowered Response to Intrusive Questions.
Jan 24th- Talking with Your Child About Adoption
(Portland, OR)
Jan 31st- Strengthening Attachement with Your Child (Portland, OR) Instructor: Ally Burr-Harris This four-hour workshop will help you to better understand possible attachment problems for children age 6 and older. Participants will learn and practice effective strategies for strengtheing attachment with older children. Learn more and register at www.adoptionmosaic.com
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AK Connection Red Devils Bowling January – April 2009 Park Tavern 3401 Louisiana Ave. S. St. Louis Park, MN 55426 AK Connection is gearing up for our 5th season of winter bowling. We are a co-ed all Korean Adoptee team. The season usually runs from January to April and bowling takes place on Monday evenings at Park Tavern. If you are interested in being part of our team or want to be an alternate contact contact@akconnection.com <mailto:contact@akconnection.com> |
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True Colors I: Putting together the pieces of the Transracial Adoption Puzzle
Date: January 10, 2009, June 13, 2009
Description: True Colors is a workshop for transracial and interracial families that focuses on the issues inherent to parenting children across racial lines. We will present concrete suggestions
for connecting your child to his or her racial heritage and information about how positive racial identity develops. Guest Speakers are a panel of adult adoptees sharing their lived experiences. We will
focus on white privilege and how white parents bring blinders to some of the racial realities that their children will deal with as a fact of life as a person of color. Real life scenarios will be also
explored in an interactive approach to problem solving and understanding the obvious and sometimes not so obvious divides and boundaries that multiracial families must negotiate. This workshop is required
for Pact clients currently waiting to adopt across racial lines as well as parents who are experiencing new challenges as they and their children enter new ages and stages of the journey.
Cost: $60 Members, $75 Non-members Register at: http://www.pactadopt.org |
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Unwrapping the Secrets of Korean Textiles: An Exhibition of 'Pojagi' Gallery Hours Opening Reception The Korea Society Gallery 950 Third Avenue @ 57th Street, 8th Floor, New York City The exquisite art of Korean wrapping cloths, known as pojagi, is featured in this exhibition of representative items drawn from eight private collections. With their distinctive geometric patchwork design, which often combines vivid colors, wrapping cloths have become one of the most widely recognized and appreciated of all traditional Korean textile arts. While often used for wrapping gifts, pojagi also were commonly employed in everyday life for carrying, covering and storing objects. Due to these multiple uses, pojagi were one of the most widespread items in Korean households of all social classes. Both in terms of design and function, pojagi demonstrate the ingenuity as well as the skillful needlework and refined design sensibilities of the anonymous women who created them over the centuries. To illustrate these distinctive features of the Korean textile tradition, the exhibition also includes examples of embroidered sewing boxes, pillow ends, spools and pouches. RELATED PROGRAM:Making Pojagi: A Workshop Every Tuesday, February 24-March 17, 2009 Session 1: 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Session 2: 6:00 PM-8:00 PM Renowned textile artist, Chunghie Lee, will lead a four-session workshop on the art of making Korean pojagi. Registration Fee: Members-$175 / Nonmembers-$200 Cost of the Materials: $50 To RSVP for the opening reception or to register for the workshop, contact Jinyoung Kim at 212-759-7525, ext. 316 |
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Please join the NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY in a very special celebration of the YEAR OF THE OX 2009 SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2009 SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2009 Dance Performance: 2pm 12-Course Chinese Banquet: 4pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2009 4pm Golden Phoenix Award Presentation honoring Dr. Jane Aronson Founder and CEO of the World Orphan Foundation South Orange Performing Arts Center One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ Performance and Banquet: $95 per Adult; $39 per Child Performance Only: $35 per Adult; $19 per Child Group discounts and special packages are available. To order tickets, call: 973.313.ARTS (2787)
ONLINE: SOPACNOW.ORG
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We plan to gather again at the New Cumberland Library’s Foundation Hall to celebrate this special Korean holiday. If you have an idea or would like to volunteer for this event, contact us at info@ta-ri.org as soon as possible. More details to come ... |
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Anthropology museum hosts Korean film series http://www.wfu.edu |
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Feb 7th- Transracial Parenting Part B (Portland, OR) 9am to 1pm Instructor: Astrid Dabbeni The decision to adopt cross cultural and racial lines is a lifelong commitment to exploring matters of race, confronting racism in all its forms andconstantly developing new skills and awareness learn more at http://www.adoptionmosaic.org
Feb 20th & 21st- Transracial Parenting A B & C (Seattle, WA) Instructor: Astrid Dabbeni This Friday evening/Saturday all day workshop will help you to identify assumptions, provide you with tools and resources, and create a sense of confidence as you explore your future as a transracial
family learn More at http://www.adoptionmosaic.org
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NOVEL THOUGHTS p. 617.547.0909 f. 617.497.5952 www.kinnect.org |
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The 2009 KUMCGW - Korean Focus Lunar New Year Celebration is February 7th Date and Time: Saturday, February 7th, 1 - 4 PM Location: Korean United Methodist Church of Greater Washington, 1219 Swinks Mill Road, McLean, VA 22102 This year's celebration will be loaded with fun, games and crafts for the children, camaraderie for the adults, and Korean food and crafts to buy for everyone. Check back over the next month for details, but save the date today! Volunteers are always needed. This event is a wonderful way for teens to obtain their community service hours, and have a lot of fun in the process. It's also a great way for parents to meet other families and get involved in the Korean American community. Email info@koreanfocus.org if you or your child would like to help. |
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Baby Care for International Adoptive Parents Date: February 8, 2009 Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Place: IAC Center, 2 Tree Farm Road, Suite A200, Pennington, NJ This workshop is for you if you are waiting to adopt internationally and would like to learn about baby/child adjustment and care in a comfortable setting with other prospective international adoptive parents. In addition, some adoption agencies will accept this workshop as partial fulfillment of your home study requirements (certificates will be issued). Workshop Facilitator: Jane Cramer, MSW, is an IAC Center Support Group Leader for our International Pre-Adopt Group, Foster-to-Adopt Group, and our upcoming First Year Home Group. Jane has also worked for an adoption agency and assisted hundreds of families to complete adoptions internationally and through the foster care system. She understands the joys and challenges of adopting children through these systems. She has provided pre-adoption trainings to teach over 500 prospective parents' practical information that helps them to anticipate the needs of their children at the time of adoption and over their lifespan. She has traveled to several Asian countries to visit children living in orphanages. Jane is known for her knowledge base, ability to translate complex issues and use of humor. Becoming a parent is a joyous experience. Many parents begin to feel excited yet nervous about their various expectations for meeting their child and the first months of parenting their child. This workshop will cover both basic childcare and issues specific to international adoption, particularly tools and strategies to help you adjust your child to their new home life with you. This baby care class will help parents begin to feel more confident and comfortable prior to their new arrival. It will allow new adoptive parents to learn in a setting that allows them to feel open to asking questions and meeting others with similar stories. You will learn about:
You will have plenty of time to ask questions as well. To register go to: http://www.iaccenter.com |
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Joe Soll is a Psychotherapist and adoptee. He is part Asian. To learn more about Joe's philosophy, you can read his book - http://www.amazon.com This healing weekend will be particularly for Korean Adoptees. Only 5 spaces left. To get more information: call 212-988-0110 or 845-268-0283 or send E-mail to us at joesoll@adoptionhealing.com |
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Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009 Hi Everyone, Koream Journal is trying to stay afloat http://savekoream.wordpress.com and Kollaboration organized a show to help. For two decades they've helped bring our community together and inspire the next generation to do bigger and brighter things and make our parents proud. ALL PROCEEDS from the show on Thurs. go to Koream Journal so they can continue to support our community. VIP tickets are $100. Tickets at the door are $30 and if you're on the guestlist, they're ONLY $20 and that includes a one year subscription to Koream (regularly $28). So you get a free show, a one year subscription at $8 off, and you're supporting the community by laughing and enjoying good times with friends. There will be celebrities in attendance and also an afterparty across the street at V2O. (Students with ID are $10, doesn't include a subscription) The show is at The newly opened Laugh Factory in Long Beach, which is the most beautiful comedy club I've ever been in. Guestlist names go to pkguestlist@gmail.com Lineup starts at 9:30pm. People talk of having pride as a Korean American but what does that really mean? Please help spread the word! Thank you!!! See you Thurrrr, PK Kollaboration 9 & Afterparty Tickets on sale now. Limited discount prices. |
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***Save on Registration*** Conference Address: Conference Price:$300 for full conference. Adoption Connections Training Institute: OneWorld Neighborhood (ACTION) is Center For Family Connections' effort to develop a larger Neighborhood of Adoption and create an international dialogue about
post-adoption services.
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Koreans are pretty much some of the coolest asians ever. so here's a day to honor them! hug as many koreans as you know...or don't know. If you don't know any, get to know one today! Learn more about it on Facebook |
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Northwest Asian American Film Festival Washington State's largest showcase for Asian American films and videos. Mark your calendars! The next festival will happen February 26-March 1, 2009. |
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Northeast Modern Language Association 2009 Annual Convention Celebrating NEMLA’s 40th Anniversary Boston, MA February 26th-March 1st, 2009 Panel Title: “The Transnational of National(ist) Discourse in Asian/American Literature” When might national—even nationalist—discourse hold within it the possibilities of transnational dynamics? Is national(ist) discourse sometimes used to express transnational desires and affiliations? How are multiple national(ist) loyalties/affinities/histories “layered” one upon another in a sort of palimpsest that operates transnationally? Do multiple national(ist) affinities always translate into a transnational sensibility more critical of the nation-state? In literary and cultural studies, we’ve moved from an era that emphasizes immigrant literatures and the dynamics of assimilation to one that emphasizes the textual production of diaspora and more transnational affiliations. This panel seeks to address the continuing tensions between these critical models. What traces of immigrant rhetoric remain and why do they linger (whether or not one is speaking of an immigrant generation)? Is the rhetoric of immigration sometimes used to express a more diasporic sensibility? When and why do we continue to see nationalist discourse when multiple national affiliations are involved? Asian/American literature has long been marked by the perils of multiple national affiliations. Certainly, one may consider the demand for performances of loyalty to the United States; this demand only reveals how accusations of traitorous behavior are always just beneath the surface for those now considered the “model minority,” for the immigrant generation and beyond. For refugees forced to leave their homelands, too, how might the national(ist) rhetoric of one country be employed to express national(ist) sentiments for another? One may also consider how literary texts negotiate the demands of national(ist) and transnational sensibilities, say, for example, the tensions among the terms “overseas Chinese,” “Chinese diaspora,” and “Chinese Americans.” One may wish to consider how solidarities with other people of color and other diasporas may embrace and yet undermine more nation- based fantasies of a multicultural state. When might “trans-racial solidarity” speak to the instability of national(ist) identity? How do gender and/or sexual difference shape the relations between what we consider national and the transnational? How do histories of occupation and colonialism affect the employment of national(ist) discourse? Proposals should critically assess Asian/American texts that wholeheartedly embrace nationalist rhetoric, texts that purposefully use nationalist rhetoric in order to critically dismantle it, texts that are marked by the tensions between national affiliations and transnational connections, or even texts that test the limits of the term “transnational.” Deadline for presentation abstracts: September 15, 2008 Please note any need for audio-visual equipment. Please email 250-500 word abstracts to the panel chair: Susan Muchshima Moynihan, Assistant Professor Department of English State University of New York at Buffalo Email: sm246@buffalo.edu |
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Asian Adoptee Weekend Retreat By and for Adult Adoptees Bloomington, MN February 27-- March 1, 2009 Come join InterDoptee for a weekend filled with fun, food and good memories in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Meet other adoptees and learn about all the opportunities available within our network. Immerse yourself in our Asian centered interactive classes. Shop and sight-see at the Mall of America. Hear guest speaker, Dr. Judith Eckerle Kang, M.D., former Miss Wisconsin, share her inspiring story. Korean adoptee and comedian, Amy Anderson will have you laughing out loud during our Saturday evening entertainment. We will also have plenty of delicious food to enjoy, including sushi sampling; Asian snacks and appetizers; deluxe lunch and dinners; tasty desserts, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. ====================================================================== Host Hotel: Embassy Suites-- Mall of America 7901 34th Avenue South, Bloomington, Minnesota, 55425
Room reservations start at: |
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My Place or Yours: Embracing Mixed Identities Wing Luke Museum in Conjunction with MAVIN http://www.wingluke.org or http://www.mixedheritagecenter.org |
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The UCLA Asian American Studies Center and Hammer Museum present: ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS IN CALIFORNIA A Symposium Saturday, March 14, 2009 9:00am - 1:00pm Armand Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 (located at the northeast corner of Westwood and Wilshire Boulevards in Westwood Village 3 blocks east of the 405 freeway's Wilshire Boulevard exit) This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is requested. Please call (310) 825-2974 or e-mail aascrsvp@aasc.ucla.edu by March 13, 2009. Parking is available under the Museum. Rates are $3 for the first three hours with Museum stamp; $1.50 for each additional 20 minutes. Parking for people with disabilities is provided on levels P1 and P3. This program is one of the events celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and other ethnic studies centers at UCLA. For more information, call (310) 825-2974. From the Chinese photographers of the Gold Rush to contemporary video artists, men and women of Asian descent have produced a rich and diverse body of artwork. Examining the lives and work of artists past and present offers insights into issues of cultural hybridity, race, social climate, and transnationalism. This symposium will celebrate the publication of the landmark Asian American Art, A History, 1850-1970, edited by Gordon H. Chang, Mark Johnson, and Paul Karlstrom, as well as present the dynamic work of three present-day artists in southern California. Asian American Art, A History is the first comprehensive study of more than 150 early artists in the United States before 1970. Artists of Asian ancestry have received little historical attention, even though many of them received wide critical acclaim during their productive years. This pioneering work recovers the impressive artistic production of numerous Asian Americans, and brings to light their extraordinary range of vision and media. Amazon.com is giving a 34% discount (only $26.37 instead of $39.95) AND free shipping for this book. Purchase ahead for the best deal. The first panel explores the history of long-neglected artists, beginning with Sharon Spain's discussion of the innovative research project that gave rise to the book. Mark Johnson draws attention to the development of an international artistic sensibility among 19th-century Asian American practitioners, Karin Higa illuminates how the creative activity rooted in 1930s Little Tokyo also moved in national and global contexts. Gordon Chang considers the connection of war and art as well as the power of art to influence public mood. For the second panel, contemporary artists Reanne Estrada, Yong Soon Min, and Viet Le discuss their work within a transnational context. Reanne Estrada reflects on the Galleon Trade project, a series of exhibitions and programs highlighting the linkages among the Philippines, Mexico and California. Yong Soon Min-decolonial art activist and scholar-will speak about her projects, including "transPOP: Korea Viet Nam Remix," co-curated with Viet Le, an artist and creative writer who examines memory, AIDS and representation in Southeast Asia and its diasporas. Panelist Bios Sharon Spain has been the associate director of the Asian American Art Project since 2004 and has managed the California Asian American Artists Biographical Survey project for more than ten years. She holds an M.A. in museum studies and has overseen major exhibition and publication projects, including Chang Dai-chien in California. Mark Johnson is professor of art at San Francisco State University. He is the co-editor of Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970, and guest curator for the de Young Museum exhibition Asian/American/Modern Art: Shifting Currents, 1900-1970' (2008) and other exhibitions of Asian American historical art. Karin Higa is adjunct senior curator of art at the Japanese American National Museum where she recently curated "Living Flowers: Ikebana and Contemporary Art." She is currently working on a study of art and culture in Los Angeles's Little Tokyo between World War I and II. Gordon Chang is a professor of history at Stanford University. The author of numerous books and articles, he recently co-edited both Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970 and Chinese American Voices: From the Gold Rush to the Present. Valerie J. Matsumoto, an associate professor in history and Asian American Studies at UCLA, is a contributor to Asian American Art, A History, 1850-1970. She has just completed a study of Japanese American women in Los Angeles from the Jazz Age to resettlement after World War II. Reanne Estrada, a Los Angeles-based visual artist, collaborates with Eliza Barios and Jenifer Wofford as Mail Order Brides/M.O.B. on video and works with Public Matters to integrate public-purpose media production with civic engagement. Yong Soon Min, professor of Studio Art at the University of California, Irvine, incorporates interdisciplinary sources and processes to engage issues of representation and cultural identities. Her work has been widely shown in exhibitions such as the 10th Havana Bienal and the 7th Gwangju Biennale. Viet Le is an artist, creative writer, and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California. His work has been featured in the Asian Pacific American Journal and anthologies such as So Luminous the Wildflowers; he has exhibited at DoBaeBacSa Gallery, Korea, The Banff Centre, Canada, and the Shoshin Performance Space in New York. Aimee Chang is Director of Academic Programming and Artist Residencies at the Hammer Museum. Schedule 9:00-9:30am Registration 9:30-10:50 Art History Panel (Sharon Spain, Mark Johnson, Gordon Chang, and Karin Higa; moderated by Professor Valerie Matsumoto) 10:50-11:00 Break 11:00-12:20 Contemporary Artists Panel (Yong Soon Min, Reanne Estrada, Viet Le; moderated by Aimee Chang) Book signing afterward |
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We’re Not Orphans Anymore… Made possible by the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Grateful appreciation to Mr. Ted Chen In its tradition of innovative services and practices, Joint Council is pleased to offer the first Adult Adoptee Institute at the annual conference. The Institute was made possible by the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The purpose of the Adult Adoptee Institute is to explore the innovative contributions, theories and practices of adult adoptees that uniquely foster the positive development of adoptive families and the adoption community. The Adult Adoptee Institute seeks to support a worldwide forum for adult adoptees to engage the broader adoption community to improve intercountry adoption practices. The first institute is entitled “We are Not Orphans Anymore…” This theme reflects not only adoptees’ growth in their lives, but also the growth of their contributions to the adoption community. There will be a series of presentations by adoption professionals who were adopted from Korea, Colombia, India, Ethiopia and Hong Kong. We welcome and invite all practitioners, adult adoptees, adoption agencies, parents, clinicians and interested persons to join us for the 1st Joint Council Adult Adoptee Institute on Wednesday, March 25 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Let’s begin the conversation about how we can work together to improve adoption practices. Come for the day or come for the entire conference! The cost is only $50 for the Institute. Register now for the Adult Adoptee Institute and the rest of the conference at http://www.jcics.org |
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International Adoption Program at the Smithsonian Institute's American History Museum, Washington, DC: Vietnam "Operation Babylift" (OBL) adoptee Jennifer Nguyen Noone, her mom Lana Mae Noone, (Author of "Global Mom: Notes From a Pioneer Adoptive Family") and several additional international adoption participants, will present a program on Monday April 27, 2009 at the Smithonoian Institute's American History Muesum, Washington., DC. The Program starts at 6:30 PM and is open to the public without charge. It will include talks, an art and artifacts exhibit, powerpoint presentation, and a solo flute performance of traditional Vietnamese music by Lana Noone. An excerpt from Lana Noone and Phil Wise's remarks at the recent Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award Ceremony in Washington, DC will post on the Smithsonian Institute's website soon. Please contact Lana@Vietnambabylift.org for complete details. |
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Hello everyone, I have exciting news! InKAS (International Korean Adoptee Service based in Seoul) is sponsoring a Korean culture camp here in Massachusetts this coming July. The camp's theme is "Growing Up Korean-American" and it's mission is to provide Korean children (ages 4 to 18) with a place to develop and nurture their ethnic identity. It is open to all children of Korean heritage, adopted & non-adopted, full or mixed race Koreans, and non-Korean siblings of Korean adoptees. InKAS will be providing teachers from Korea to teach language, cooking, music, and arts & crafts. The camp will be held for 4 days (Tues, July 21 - Fri, July 24) in Hopkinton, MA. We are in the preliminary stages of organizing this camp. The vision is to provide classes about traditional Korean culture and arts, as well as activities focusing on modern Korea and Korean-American culture. We are going to rely heavily on volunteers to keep our costs down. There will be opportunities for parents of campers to participate in organizing, helping out during camp and even in cooking a Korean meal for the campers during the program. If there is enough interest, we would like to have a teen program that could include some mentoring of the younger campers and teen activities to help them connect with each other and explore being Korean in America. Right now, we have not determined the cost of camp. Our intent is to make it as cost friendly as possible so that as many families that would like to attend can. If you are interested in this camp, please let me know. I am not taking registrations at the moment but it is a good idea to let me know if you would like send your child so that I can get an idea of the numbers of children that might be attending. If you let me know now then you would be first to register when the time comes but it does not mean that you have to commit at this time. IMPORTANT - if there is not enough interest in this camp it may lead to it being canceled! I am also looking for a group of people to help in the planning of camp. There are many parts to this that will be hard for one person to organize and I am desperately looking for help! I hope to start having planning meetings in February or early March. This is crucial to this camp! Please email me if you are interested in being part of the planning committee. I am very excited about this camp and hope that you are too. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at jcnorton@rcn.com or call me at 508-628-3166. Jacey Norton Korean Adoption Circle |
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KAAN's MISSION is: To Support Networking And Build Understanding Among Adoptees,
Adoptive Families, Koreans And Korean Americans. Visit KAAN's website at http://www.kaanet.com/ . KAAN does not endorse or take responsibility for the opinions or programs presented in the newsletter. Please send us information about events in your area, articles, personal requests etc. so that we may share them with others. Send information about events, interesting articles or websites, personal requests and questions, as well as other items of interest to us at mailto:kaanet@aol.com |