Dr. Liz DeBetta, founder and creator of Migrating Toward Wholeness© is an adoptee and independent scholar-artist-activist committed to changing systems and helping people navigate trauma through creative processes. She believes that stories are powerful change agents and when we write them and share them we connect and heal.

Being able to question, reject, and rewrite the dominant narratives that make adoptees the object rather than the subject of their stories is essential to finding healing and wholeness. Permission to explore origin (and other adoption) stories and rewrite them as teens and adults helps adoptees to become more integrated by allowing them to connect to the parts of themselves that have been denied by the stories that were given to them as children, and the stories that the media would like the public to believe about adoption. Using Howard Bath’s 3-pillars of Trauma-informed Care (2008) and the 7-step trauma-healing framework embedded in the Migrating Toward Wholeness© method of expressive writing to heal, session attendees will learn how the process of re-narrativizing for adoptees can be used to find clarity, understand the effects of trauma, promote personal growth that helps to shift internal narratives, and create healthy dialogue among families.

"Black Sheep Gold Fleece" is a captivating exploration of Sasha Mack's journey as a Black same-race adoptee. Through her powerful "Black Sheep" art collection, Sasha delves into the complexities of identity, cultural connection, and belonging. She addresses the nuances of same-race adoption in the Black community, navigating cultural identity, and the challenges of uncovering one's roots. Sasha's unique perspective illuminates the intersection of adoption, race, and activism, offering valuable insights for adoptees, families, and professionals. Her journey from feeling like a "black sheep" to discovering her "gold fleece" promises an enlightening and thought-provoking presentation that centers adoptee voices in the broader adoption dialogue.

It is often difficult to see the full picture in adoption. Adoptees and adoptive parents have individual and unique perspectives and struggles that don't get seen side by side. Inside Transracial Adoption is a window into the journey of an adoptive family with all the highs and lows. Adoptive mother Julie Etter and son Isaac Etter open up to give adoption professionals and adoptive parents a window into their real-life struggles, lessons, and joys. They will open up about their individual perspectives and how they learned to see each other’s viewpoints. Julie and Isaac will open the space to questions from the audience and provide resources post-presentation.