loader from loading.io

Adoption Truths: Rich Uhrlaub's Unstoppable Advocacy - Ep 91

Unraveling Adoption

Release Date: 05/01/2023

From Ethiopia to America and Back Again: An Adoptee’s Fight for Justice with Mike Davis and Maureen McCauley - Ep 169 show art From Ethiopia to America and Back Again: An Adoptee’s Fight for Justice with Mike Davis and Maureen McCauley - Ep 169

Unraveling Adoption

"I thought I'll go to the embassy and I'll clear this up. Yeah, that I was adopted legally and I was US citizen." -- Mike Davis   READ THE TRANSCRIPT HERE:   EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Mike Davis, an intercountry adoptee whose story sheds light on the often-overlooked complexities of adoption, particularly regarding citizenship issues. Mike was adopted from Ethiopia at the age of eight by an African-American single father and grew up in the U.S. However, in the mid-1990s, he discovered that he was not a U.S. citizen,...

info_outline
Educating the Next Generation: Adoption Messages in Children's Books with Allison Olson - Ep 168 show art Educating the Next Generation: Adoption Messages in Children's Books with Allison Olson - Ep 168

Unraveling Adoption

"I can read a book and tell you if it's written by an adoptee, written by an adoptive parent or written by somebody who's just a famous author and someone told him to write about adoption and they know nothing about it." -- Allison Olson EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Allison Olson, an adoptee and adoptive parent who has made significant contributions to children's literature on adoption. We explored her personal adoption story, which began in 1979 when she was adopted as a baby in a closed adoption, and how her experiences shaped...

info_outline
Creative Paths to Healing Childhood Trauma with Jonathan Moon - Ep 167 show art Creative Paths to Healing Childhood Trauma with Jonathan Moon - Ep 167

Unraveling Adoption

“I'm telling all the skeptics who may be listening, just go in there with an open mind because you're not going to lose anything. You have so much more to gain.” - Jonathan Moon   EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Jonathan Moon, an adopted person who has navigated the complexities of relinquishment and adoption trauma. Jonathan's journey began in Korea, where he faced significant challenges as a child, including living on the streets and experiencing significant instability. He was adopted to the U.S. at the age of nine and...

info_outline
The Realities of Open Adoption with a Mother-Daughter Duo with Linda and Belle Sexton - Ep 166 show art The Realities of Open Adoption with a Mother-Daughter Duo with Linda and Belle Sexton - Ep 166

Unraveling Adoption

"I think my mom does a great job addressing this in the book, but open adoption is not without its challenges." - Belle Sexton Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the honor of speaking with Linda R. Sexton, an adoptive mom and author, and her 25-year-old daughter, Belle. This marks our first mother-daughter duo on the podcast, offering a unique perspective on open adoption. Linda R. Sexton is an author, speaker and blogger. She is an adoptive mom of two children, both in open arrangements, and is the author of the award-winning book, . The story is told with frank...

info_outline
The Intersection of Politics and Adoption with Mark H. - Ep 165 show art The Intersection of Politics and Adoption with Mark H. - Ep 165

Unraveling Adoption

"The way that fascism triumphs is if everyone goes silent and becomes quiescent." - Mark H. EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I, Beth Syverson, welcome Mark, a transracial adoptee from Korea and a passionate advocate for adoption-related issues. Together, we delve into the often-overlooked intersection of politics and adoption, particularly in the context of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. As an adoptive mom of a 20-year-old son, Joey, who is navigating his own path, I feel a deep responsibility to address the complexities surrounding adoption and how they...

info_outline
Unpacking Adoption Trauma: Insights from an Adoptive Parent with Stacey Uhrig - Ep 164 show art Unpacking Adoption Trauma: Insights from an Adoptive Parent with Stacey Uhrig - Ep 164

Unraveling Adoption

“They [our kids] can't be more regulated than you are. They can only be as regulated as the least regulated person in the house.” - Stacey Uhrig EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stacey Uhrig, an adoptive parent and certified trauma recovery coach. Stacey shared her journey into adoption, which began after her own struggles with infertility. She emphasized the emotional complexities and challenges that come with adoption, particularly the trauma that both adoptees and adoptive parents may face.  Stacey discussed her...

info_outline
Personal Trust Communities in Adoption with Mike Thorne - Ep 163 show art Personal Trust Communities in Adoption with Mike Thorne - Ep 163

Unraveling Adoption

"When I was nine years old,...my parents just looked at each other and looked back at me and said, Michael, we just want to tell you that we love you very much and that you're adopted." -- Mike Thorne =============== 📘Get our new book Adoption and Suicidality: 📆 Community Calendar: ✨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: ============== EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mike Thorne, an adoptee and community leader. Mike shared his journey of discovering his adoption...

info_outline
The Importance of Adoptee-Led Initiatives with Jessica M. Luciere - Ep 162 show art The Importance of Adoptee-Led Initiatives with Jessica M. Luciere - Ep 162

Unraveling Adoption

"I tell every adopted person that I meet that their story changes my own story. And it's the truth. It is the absolute truth." - Jessica M. Luciere   In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews Jessica M. Luciere, an inter-country, interracial adoptee from Colombia who works at Spence Chapin, a nonprofit adoption agency. Jessica shares her personal adoption story and highlights the importance of adoptee-led initiatives in the adoption community. She discusses the programming she has created at Spence Chapin, including Voices of Adoption for adoptees over 18 and...

info_outline
Shedding Light on Children of Priests with Brendan Watkins - Ep 161 show art Shedding Light on Children of Priests with Brendan Watkins - Ep 161

Unraveling Adoption

"The Church, of course, is doing everything it can to silence victims." - Brendan Watkins EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, the host, Beth Syverson, interviews Brendan Watkins, an Australian adoptee who shares his emotional journey of discovering his origin story filled with religious intrigue. Brendan found out that his birth mother became pregnant in the 1950s and relinquished him for adoption, and later became a nun. He then discovered that his birth father was a Catholic priest. Brendan's memoir, Tell No One, sheds light on the challenges faced by children of priests...

info_outline
Homeschooling Complexities for Adopted Children with Rae (Adoptee Reclaimed) - Ep 160 show art Homeschooling Complexities for Adopted Children with Rae (Adoptee Reclaimed) - Ep 160

Unraveling Adoption

"I never learned the word stress until I was 14 years old. And I can guarantee you I was very stressed well before the age of 14." -- Rae =============== 📘 Order our book Adoption and Suicidality: 📆 Community Calendar: ✨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: =============== EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews Rae, whose handle is Adoptee Reclaimed. Rae discusses how being homeschooled from kindergarten through high school in a conservative family led to feelings of isolation...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

After spending 15 years searching for answers, Rich Uhrlaub discovered that both his birth parents had passed away long before his quest had begun. This devastating realization fueled Rich's passion to become an advocate for truth and transparency in adoption, challenging an industry that had grown apathetic to the plight of those it served.

In this episode, you will be able to:

  • Gain insight into adoptees' needs for truth and transparency, emphasizing the need for access to birth records and biological family information.

  • Follow the path of Rich Uhrlaub as he champions legislative change through his experiences and advocacy work.

  • Delve into the necessity of truth and transparency in adoption, exposing the realities of the multibillion-dollar adoption industry.

  • Cultivate a cooperative environment for adoptees, adoptive parents, birth parents, and allies.

  • Unleash the power of art and creativity as a means of promoting adoption awareness and self-expression.

My special guest is Rich Uhrlaub

Rich Uhrlaub is a passionate adoptee rights activist who has dedicated the past 25 years to promoting truth and transparency in the multibillion-dollar adoption industry. With his personal experience as an adoptee, Rich has been instrumental in advocating for legislative reform and providing support to fellow adoptees in search of their origins. As a board member of Adoption Search Resource Connection, he plays a crucial role in assisting adoptees during their search process. Rich's unwavering commitment to the cause extends to his creative pursuits, with an adoption-related musical in development called For the Record.

===============

📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar

💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX


===============

RESOURCES:

 

Rich’s information:

  • Adoption Search Resource Connection (ASRC): https://www.asrconline.org/

  • ASRC playlists of adoption-related music, film, etc.:  https://www.asrconline.org/film-music-stage-accordion

  • Rich’s For the Record musical: FTRMusical.com

  • Male adoptees support group: https://www.maleadoptees.com/

  • Male Adoptee/Alumni Impact Summit, May 12-14, 2023: https://www.maleadoptees.com/

  • DONATE TO: Coalition for Truth & Transparency in Adoption (A 501(c)(4) Organization): https://www.adoptiontruthandtransparency.org/

Other Resources:

  • APtitude Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoption’s Challenges: UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude

  • Other Parents Like Me -  https://www.facebook.com/other.parents.like.me

  • Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents of Addicted Teens: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/

  • Find a Tele-Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling

===============


Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

Email questions or comments to [email protected]

Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Support UnravelingAdoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption

www.UnravelingAdoption.com

===============


The key moments in this episode are:

  1:27 Rich’s adoption story and childhood

  8:50 How did Rich’s interest in adoptee rights begin?

13:50 What’s happening with adoption legislation right now?

19:16 Getting thick skin while working for adoption reform 

21:30 Normalizing adoptees seeking their own genealogy

22:40 “Truth and transparency” instead of “adoptee rights”

24:30 Uniting adoption constellation members in legislation activism

27:59 What can adoptive parents do to promote truth and transparency in adoption?

30:17 Support for male adoptees

36:20 Walking on eggshells as a movement

37:40 What can adoption allies do to help truth & transparency legislation?