The 40th International American Adoption Congress Conference in Washington, D.C., was a true example of how adoption has changed in the decades since our inception. We were honored by the presence of travelers from Canada, Ireland, Israel, and Hong Kong, as well as presenter Dr. Sue Green from Australia.

To hear the stories of how other countries are involved in adoption was eye-opening, showing some countries who do a wonderful job of openness and support. Some do pieces of the adoption puzzle well but in other areas struggle as we do in the States with balancing the needs of all parties while keeping the needs of the adoptee the primary focus. Forty years and counting and still we’re dealing with grief, loss, shame and secrecy.

We were honored to have Founding member Sharon Kaplan Roszia open the conference with a review of the evolution of the AAC. She spoke of our triumphs and struggles. She spoke of the changes we’ve seen and the changes we see on the horizon. Sharon invited us all to be a part of the healing future within adoption.

Sharon set the tone and the rest of the conference followed suit. Our presenters included many first-timers, a wide range of professionals, heart-felt personal accounts topped off by inclusive creative workshops to help us all understand and express our inner most thoughts on adoption.

Sharon’s opening remarks were followed by a stellar lineup of keynote presenters. We heard from Canadian podcaster Haley Radke who spoke eloquently of how we adoptees need to raise our voices, not to allow others to dismiss our adoptiveness just because they don’t understand it. And we let them! Haley called on us to educate them, to speak honestly. And loudly if need be!

Thursday evening we had an event that I know you would have loved, Barbara. We held an authors’ roundtable for any and all authors who were presenting or attending the conference. Each author spoke of their adoption story as it relates to their book and their lives. Each book was totally different yet, of course, tied at its core through adoption.

After the introductions we opened up the floor and the questions and thoughts from the audience came quickly and didn’t abate. We had a set time for the length of this event, but when books are at the core of the discussion, time loses its hold on us. A happy cluster of book lovers in earnest conversation is a beautiful sight to behold.

Prior to the book roundtable, Haley Radke hosted our first-ever adoptee “meet up.” For we oldsters that means people with a similar interest get together to talk. Haley’s podcast, Adoptees On!, is wildly popular, both in her native Canada as well as in the States. Last time I checked in on them I found 30+ young people casually chatting away. Most expressed how Haley’s podcast has touched them so they made the trip to come meet their heroine. The reach of modern media is really something!

Friday morning began with Dr. Cecelia Jackson exploring the road map of ethnicity, race, and all they ways we misuse the terms. We don’t acknowledge what these terms mean, their full import and what that means for all the kids in foster care and adoption who are being raised outside of their culture.

At lunch we heard the latest on Donor legislation, ethics and how the field is still evolving from Dr. Naomi Cahn, the noted legal authority in the field.

Our final keynote, held Saturday morning, blew the roof off the place. New York Assembly member Robert Carroll has teamed up with other legislators to introduce a totally clean bill in the New York legislature. Totally clean! Can you imagine the impact on adoption legislation in our country if New York passes such a bill? If any of you have friends in New York, now is the time to ask them to step up to write and call their legislators. The Assembly bill (A5494) has passed out of committee and through the Assembly. The Senate bill (83419) has passed out of committee and is now before the full Senate. The session ends in mid-June so now is the time to write and rally!

A clip of Assembly member Carroll introducing the bill was played prior to his keynote. The audience was spellbound by the John Kennedy-esque, brand-new legislator speaking from his heart about how adoption is a violation of our civil rights. Finally, a politician who “gets us”!

Mark your calendars now for our 2020 conference, which will be in San Diego from April 13-16. We’ll be opening up workshop submissions on August 15th. I would love to see workshop proposals from O.I. members!

The AAC sends hearty congratulations to Operation Identity for 40 wonderful years of hard work, loving support, and being such a positive presence in our adoption world.

To view the entire program and wonderful presenters visit https://www.americanadoptioncongress.org. Click on the “Conference” tab in the jigsaw puzzle and then click on 2019 AAC Conference Brochure. To order the audio recordings of the workshops and audiovisual recordings of the keynotes, contact Blake and Connie Stiles at egamitapes@ aol.com.