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Presented by: Chinas Children International November 9, 2013 Lian Blake and Laura Cotter

*!Encourage use of appropriate terminology *!Promote a mature understanding of Chinese

Culture

*!Encourage healthy racial and cultural identity *!Try not to generalize *!Understand that adoption does not define the
adoptee

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*!Using the appropriate words matters *!Examples:

*!Birth parents vs. Real Parents *!Abandoned vs. Placed or Given up

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*!If a mentee shows interest in learning feel free

to share what you know

*!Our suggestion:
*!Try to promote a more mature, nuanced view of
a connection to China visit

*!i.e. not just holidays to celebrate or a country to

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*!Many adoptees feel being and Asian adoptee is

different from being Asian American

*!Asian American
*!Culture comes from the family

*!Asian Adoptee
*!Look Chinese but do not feel connection to the
birth culture

*!Most families are transcultural as well as

transnational

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*!Major similarities
*!Ethnic minority *!Feeling Somewhere Between (not quite totally
Chinese, not quite totally American)

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*!Important not to make generalizations *!Every adoptee has his or her own story *!Adoptee may not always feel the same about
issues

*!Identity *!Birth parents

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*!An adoptee is not defined by his or her

adoption

*!Being adopted from China does not guarantee:

*!The adoptee is necessarily knowledgeable about
Chinese Culture

*!The adoptee is

interested in Chinese culture

*!Adoption does not mean the adoptee has to

have an interest about his or her birth culture

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*!Share Resources *!Raise Awareness

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*!Share resources on how to get

*!Chinas Children International

involved in the adoptee community

(www.chinaschildreninternational.or g)

*!Facebook Group *!Website *!Mentor Me Program *!More events like this conference

*!Volunteer Opportunities
*!Ex: China Care & Half the Sky

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*!Importance of using appropriate terminology *!Every adoptees story is unique *!Changing reality of Chinese adoption
*!Not overwhelmingly female

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*!Experience growing up
*!Participating in Dumplings and the Mentor
Program at Harvard China Care

*!Half the Sky/ Chinas Children International

Volunteer Trip

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*!Experiences Growing up *!Half the Sky/Chinas Children International

Volunteer Trip

*!China Care Club

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*!Encourage use of appropriate terminology *!Encourage healthy racial and cultural identity *!Try not to generalize *!Share Resources

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*!Half the Sky *!China Care Clubs

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