Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee Stories
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Titre
Date
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Patti: The Girl With Three Birthdays
03 Sep 2024
01:02:36
Patti Eddington is a newspaper and magazine journalist whose favorite job ever was interviewing famous authors who came through town on book tours. She never dreamed of writing about her life because she was too busy helping build her husband’s veterinary practice, caring for her animal-obsessed daughter—whose favorite childhood toy was an inflatable tick—and learning to tap dance. Then fate, and a DNA test, led her to a story she felt compelled to tell. Today, the mid-century modern design enthusiast and former dance teacher enjoys being dragged on walks by her ridiculous three-legged dog, David, and watching the egrets and bald eagles from her deck on a beautiful bayou in Spring Lake, Michigan.
Kathleen was born in 1968 in Northern California. Her birth mother relinquished her for adoption immediately upon birth, and Kathleen was then adopted by a loving family who already had a 3-year-old adopted son.
When Kathleen was 22 years old she found her birth mother. Thirty years later she learned that her birth father was an enforcer for the Hells Angels and was shot and killed when Kathleen was seven years old.
She also learned that she has at least seven sisters and one brother on her father’s side -- all from different mothers from the same birth father. Each of her siblings is about a year apart. Kathleen has met most of her siblings and remains in contact with each of them to this day.
Kathleen is a sociology professor living with her spouse in Honolulu and continues to make sense of her adoption experience through a sociological lens.
Correction to the episode from Kathleen: It has been 5 years since finding all of my 8 birth siblings. However, just a year and a half since Marianne and Kenny passed away.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 14:55
Trishina: Digging through the Layers of International Adoption
25 Jun 2024
00:49:28
Trishina was born in 1991 in Sevastopol, Ukraine, and was adopted at 18 months old. She was always curious about her biological family, searching on and off. Still, it wasn’t until she joined a Russian social media app called Vkontakte, that she could find some answers. Trishina is a nurse and military wife currently living in Cleveland, Ohio.
Carolina Khan is a transnational adoptee from Palmira, Colombia. As early as she can recall, she has always been informed of her adoption that took place at 18 months old. What she was not informed of were her circumstances surrounding her adoption and most importantly where her natural mother was and where she could be found. Why was adoption her story? Carolina had made it her priority to receive support and work through her own adoption trauma. Ultimately, she finds herself wanting to share her process of gaining her identity as a Colombian woman, sense of self, individuation and healing.
List of Resources - a major part of Carolina’s journey: Joe Soll, LCSW Adoption Healing Author: Adoption Healing a Path to Recovery Daily Chat Room, Healing Weekends & opportunities to meet 1st moms/ adoptees http://www.adoptionhealing.com
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.
Adopted at birth, Edward Di Gangi was born and raised in New York City. Although he knew for most of his life that he was adopted, it wasn’t until he approached his 70th birthday that he began to search for the identity of his birth mother. His journey and the many surprising discoveries he made as he searched are recounted in his memoir, The Gift Best Given. Edward and his wife now live in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He is a popular book club presenter and podcast guest. The Gift Best Given is his first full-length book.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.
Beth Figuls is a technical writer and aspiring novelist/memoirist from Los Angeles. A Baby Scoop-era adoptee, she was raised by a father who was also an adoptee, and who had lived in an orphanage for a time when he was very young. She searched for and found her birth mother, as well as siblings from both sides of her birth families. She strongly believes that adoptees have a right to know who they are. She is very interested in exploring intergenerational trauma, loss, and adoptee personhood in her memoir-in-progress.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.
Matthew Charles is the host of "little did u know", an abolitionist podcast that seeks to reveal the precarity inherent in transracial/national adoption and dream of a new future by centering the voices of Adoptees and Professionals. His is also an essayist, poet, and sometimes actor whose work explores (dis)placement, belonging, and colony and appears in VISIBLE and Severance Magazine.
To learn more about Matthew Charles and his poetry you can visit his website: MatthewCharlesPoet.com
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield and The Harpy.
Emma Stevens is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Her traumas were born from being an adoptee who struggled with being forced to wear an impossible mask of playing the part of the “good adopted child.” Because being relinquished and adopted has colored her life, it’s Emma’s desire to be part of the movement that is dedicated to helping bring forth change to the way our world views the needs and support of adopted individuals. She believes strongly in adoptees finding their voice and discovering their truth to have a solid sense of self and to reclaim their identities. Through telling her story, Emma is dedicated to help redefine the narrative of adoption to include the entire complex truth.
THE GATHERING PLACE by Emma Stevens on Amazon This memoir is Emma Stevens’ first book. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism and has completed Master’s level course work in psychology, specializing in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling. She has two adult children and two cat children who she adores.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield and The Harpy.
Mikayla Mains is a dancer teacher, small business owner and SAHM. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri where she now resides with her husband and two children. After spending years in and out of the foster care system, she was adopted at age 12 to a large family in which she became the 10th child. She battled with questions about her past for years until she finally found her biological mother on Facebook and began to piece things together. She now wants to dedicate herself to educating others on the dark sides of foster care, advocating for those still in it and shed light on the emotional scars it can leave even after adoption.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber and The Harpy.
Tony Corsentino is a cataloger at a public library near Boston, Massachusetts, after a prior career as a philosophy professor. A child of a closed adoption, Tony grew up in the southern United States without siblings. After fighting cancer and becoming a father, he obtained his birth records, reunited with his mother, and connected with other adoptees on social media. He plans to continue to raise awareness of adoption issues and help amplify adoptee voices through print and online writing projects.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed and The Harpy.
Digging through the Layers of International Adoption
08 Mar 2022
00:55:53
Trishina was born in 1991 in Sevastopol, Ukraine and was adopted at just 18 months old. She was always curious about her biological family, searching on and off, but it wasn’t until she joined a Russian social media app called Vkontakte, that she was able to find some answers. Trishina is a nurse and military wife currently living in Cleveland, Ohio.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino and The Harpy.
David was born in 1972 in Newcastle, in the North East of England and adopted shortly after he was six weeks old. He is now a therapist working predominantly with trauma and adoption. He also sits on a fostering panel and teaches therapeutic parenting. David is married with two children, and he is currently writing his first novel based on his life story.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino and The Harpy.
Melissa Porter, born "Ryan Keeler" is an adult adoptee and psychologist from New York, who specializes in attachment and trauma theory. After the birth of her daughter, she used DNA and modern-day sleuthing to build her family tree and connected with her first family in 2018. She found a large maternal family ready to welcome her, and a decades-old mystery in her paternal family that she used DNA tracing to solve! Since "coming out of the fog", Melissa uses her education and expertise as a platform from which to advocate for adoptees' rights.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider and The Harpy.
Gretchen: Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood
18 Jun 2024
01:04:16
Season 7 Finale
Gretchen Sisson, PhD is a qualitative sociologist who studies abortion and adoption in the United States, based at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood, a ten-year examination of adoption relinquishment during the years of Roe.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 11:36
As early as he could comprehend it, Matt had always known he was adopted – but he never had the desire to find his birth parents. That is until the birth of his only daughter brought more questions than answers about his health and ancestry. When he received his adoption paperwork from the State of Wisconsin, he discovered that his birth father was never told of the pregnancy. That started 20 + years of searching to finally find the answers he was looking for.
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, Eric David, Beth Figuls and Ron Schneider.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise recap Season One and then they speak to Megan Culhane Galbraith.
Megan Culhane Galbraith is a writer, visual artist and adoptee. Her debut memoir-in-essays The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book (Mad Creek Books/Ohio State University Press) was published in May 2021. Megan's work was listed as Notable in Best American Essays 2021 and 2017 and recognized by Poets & Writers in their "5 Over 50" issue. She is the 2022 Writer-in-Residence at adopteeson.com. Her essays, interviews, reviews and visual art have appeared in BOMB, The Believer, HYPERALLERGIC! ZZYZYVA, Tupelo Quarterly, Hobart, Redivider, Longreads, Hotel Amerika, and Catapult, among others. Megan has been awarded fellowships from The Saltonstall Foundation, The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and The Horned Dorset Colony. She is the founding director of the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Young Writers Institute. She holds a BA in Journalism from the Pennsylvania State University and an MFA in Literature from the Bennington Writing Seminars.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David and Ron Schneider.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Sixteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Ann Marie Morello.
Ann Marie Morello is a licensed mental health counselor, Adoptee coach and self proclaimed “truth warrior.” She owns a boutique private mental health practice in Suffolk County, New York. Ann Marie was a closed domestic adoption, was in foster care, and has been in reunion since 2017. We will hear how being an adoptee shapes her work as a licensed trauma professional, and the personal fulfillment she receives volunteering as co-facilitator of the Long Island chapter of Adoptees Connect Inc. She credits finding her truth with the help of a professional genealogist, DNA, and personal tenacity. Ann Marie continues to uncover more secrets since reunion and is currently handling the emotional pain of secondary loss/estrangement with first family.
Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.
And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David and Ron Schneider.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Fifteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Eric David.
Born in Queens in 1966, Eric was adopted at two months old. He is the oldest and has one sister who is adopted and one who is not, all treated equally by their parents. Eric's married with two sons: one who died in 2013 and the other who is graduating college next year. Having his own genetic kin caused him to start his search. Eric recently found his birth mother through a DNA test after years of searching, and they reunited in August of 2021.
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Thank you to our current Patreon's for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra and Ron Schneider.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Fourteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Rachel Atiemo-Obeng.
Rachel Atiemo-Obeng was born In Southfield Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, adopted as an infant, and raised in Midland Michigan. She received her M.Ed. with emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University, and has worked with special needs children for over ten years in clinical and school settings. She has recently relocated to Los Angeles California where she works as a Special Education Paraeducator and Special Education advocate for California Connections Academy. She is also pursuing her passion as a singer/songwriter, going by the artist name Rachel AO for her works.
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Thank you to our current Patreon's for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt and Ron Schneider.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Thirteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Representative Casey Weinstein.
Casey Weinstein is currently serving his second term as a State Representative in the Ohio House of Representatives. He lives in Hudson, Ohio with his wife Amanda and their three children—Nora, Emelia, and Brady. Both Casey and Amanda are veterans of the United States Air Force and served at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before eventually moving to Ohio to start their family. Their son, Brady, was formally adopted earlier this year.
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In this special episode, Sarah and Louise put their chapter discussion on hold to talk to Jennifer Utley, Director of Research, at Ancestry.
Jennifer’s journey at Ancestry® began more than 20 years ago with a love of editing, writing, and publishing—and a strong desire to remain close to her Utah roots. Today, her passion for storytelling remains at an all-time high, thanks in part to the technological innovations she’s witnessed throughout her career. Stories that once took days to research now unfold in minutes. It’s Jennifer’s job to surface the power of Ancestry® for television programming, public relations campaigns, and media outlets.
On a personal note, Jennifer has had the pleasure of tracing her interests in publishing, reading, and music to not-so-distant relatives. And by learning more about the adversity some of her ancestors faced, Jennifer is able to draw strength and resolve to achieve her own goals. From battle-worn grandfathers to early colonial patriots, Jennifer’s family history embodies a bold sense of pride in forging ahead where others might give pause. This makes her the perfect choice to curate and distribute the most compelling Ancestry® narratives to empower personal discoveries and enrich lives.
For Jennifer, the most rewarding part of her work at Ancestry® is the emotional connections that develop when customers keep coming back to connect their own dots.
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And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. Thank you to our current Patreon's for their support. They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Ron Schneider and Daphne Keys.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Twelve of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to David Daniels.
Adopted at birth by a pioneering Hollywood television couple who were responsible for creating some of the most iconic series of our time, including I Love Lucy, David grew up in the midst of show-biz Los Angeles far removed from the devoutly Christian world of West Virginia, where his biological parents were from. But it was this very Christian faith that compelled David's unwed college-age birth mother to carry David to term, clandestinely flee from West Virginia to New York City to give birth to David, and then relinquish him into the arms of the progressive TV industry couple, whose open-mindedness ultimately freed David to search for and find his biological parents. Listen now to hear David's story of coming home to roots that are in marked contrast to his life as an adoptee.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Eleven of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Nichie Stonall.
Nichie (Nikki) Stonall moved from Michigan to Johannesburg South Africa in 2015 to work alongside Impact Africa as the director of their Impact Baby Rescue. She leads a team of women who raise awareness about Baby Abandonment, counsels women as they journey through their pregnancies, and oversees the day-to-day operations of a baby home. Nichie lives in Johannesburg with her husband Chris and together they have a daughter. Nichie's passion for Adoption and family drives her to continue to advocate for the mothers who are facing an uncertain future for their babies, and the precious babies her team cares for.
Find Impact Africa on Social Media under Impact Africa on Facebook and Instagram. And, Nichie can be found on Facebook as Nichie Parish Stonall and Instagram as @nichiestonal
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Ten of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Damon L. Davis.
Damon L. Davis is the host and producer of the podcast, "Who Am I Really?" (www.whoamireallypodcast.com) where adoptees tell their own stories of adoption and share their experiences attempting reunion with their birth families. He has interviewed over 150 adoptees from a diverse range of adoption experiences. In his autobiography "Who Am I Really? - An Adoptee Memoir" Damon shares his journey to becoming an adoptive parent and his emotions over the birth of his natural son, Seth. Damon opens up about the heartbreak of grappling with his adoptive mother's mental illness while balancing the joy of locating his birth mother. His journey takes a twist when he finds his biological father via DNA testing.
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Steve Inskeep is an adoptee and adoptive parent born in 1968, the peak year for adoptions in America during the Baby Scoop Era.
He is a host of NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR's morning news podcast Up First.
Known for interviews with presidents and Congressional leaders, Steve has a passion for stories of the less famous: Pennsylvania truck drivers, Kentucky coal miners, U.S.-Mexico border detainees, Yemeni refugees, California firefighters, and American soldiers.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Nine of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Denise Cruz-Castino.
Denise Cruz-Castino is an advertising writer and screenwriter from Los Angeles. When she was five years old, her four-year-old cousin Kenny moved in and became her adopted brother. No matter how much love he got from Denise’s family, and how much therapy, these early years shaped his rocky life that continued through his adulthood.
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In this special episode, Sarah and Louise put their chapter discussion on hold to talk to Nancy Verrier, author of the groundbreaking book, The Primal Wound, and Rebecca Autumn Sansom, director of the upcoming documentary, Reckoning With The Primal Wound.
Nancy raised both an adopted daughter as well as a biological daughter and was able to compare her children’s behavior. She became so fascinated with her adopted daughter’s response to being relinquished that she changed careers, becoming a psychologist and writing her thesis about the separation of a mother and child. She called this separation the primal wound.
Rebecca Autumn, who goes by both her adopted name and her birth name, connected with Nancy to help realize Reckoning With The Primal Wound. It is the first adoptee and biological mother team to produce a film about The Primal Wound. She has partnered with Legacy Entertainment Partners and Executive Producer Gena Vazquez to secure distribution.
In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Eight of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Mick Smyer.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Mick started out life in St. Vincent’s, a Catholic orphanage, where he lived until he was adopted at six months old. His adoptive mother was 50 years old when she adopted Mick, but she lied about her age to the adoption agency (and to her husband). She was also mentally ill. Not surprisingly, Mick eventually became a psychologist, with a specialty in geriatric mental illness. Listen now to hear Mick's journey in finding his biological family.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Seven of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier. They then talk to Madeline and Laura Lillis, two sisters from Kansas City with a unique story.
Raised in a single-parent household by their biological dad, Madeline and Laura’s relationship to adoption may not be apparent to an unfamiliar listener. However, in this episode, these sisters describe their unique relationship to and perspective on adoption with discussion about their biological mother’s adoption and the generational trauma they are determined to dismantle.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Six of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier, and then they talk to Sam Miller, an adoptee living in Dallas, Texas.
Raised in the Chicago area, Sam Miller’s father passed away when he was just 3 years old. Growing up, he didn’t have a close relationship with his mother. He could never understand how she could be so emotionally distant from her own “flesh and blood.” In 2014, his intuition that his relationship with his mother was “opaque,” became clear. He was fatally ill from a genetic condition, his parents were gone, and he found out that not only did they know that he would need a kidney transplant one day, but they refused to tell him that he was adopted. This conversation touches on that “aha” moment that some of us have when our being adopted suddenly becomes our new identity later in life and concludes with a happy message.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Five of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier, and then they talk to Andrea Ross, author of "Natural Selection: A Memoir of Adoption and Wilderness."
Adopted at birth, Andrea grew up inhabiting two ecosystems: one was her tangible, adoptive family; the other her birth family, whose mysterious landscape was hidden from her. In her early twenties, while working as a ranger in Grand Canyon National Park, she embarked on a journey to discover where she came from and, ultimately, who she was. After many missteps and dead ends, she uncovered her heartbreaking and inspiring origin story. She began navigating the complicated turns of reuniting with her birth parents and their new families. By way of backcountry travel in the American West, she also came to define her true identity and place in the world not by adopted nor biological parents, but through an expanded concept of family.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Four of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier, and then they talk to John Frey, who was born in Vietnam and brought to the United States as part of Operation Babylift when he was a year-and-a-half old. John often struggled with his identity, having been adopted and raised by a White American family while not having any connection to his birth country or culture.
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In this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Three of “The Primal Wound” and then they talk to Jean Bliss Baron, who was adopted into a loving family when she was a few months old. She always knew she was adopted, but it wasn’t until she was 65-years-old when her biological family tracked her down through Ancestry.com.
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Today you’ll meet your podcast hosts, Sarah and Louise. On this episode we discuss Chapter One from the book “The Primal Wound”, and then we delve into Sarah’s adoption story.
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Christina Thanstrom is a baby Scoop-era adoptee born in Los Angeles in 1966. A loving couple adopted her in 1967 through LA County and she had a mostly idyllic childhood with a younger brother (also adopted) in the San Fernando Valley.
Christina was reunited with her birth mother, Arleen, an R.N., at age 19 while in college (the same age Arleen had given birth to Christina). Christina learned that when Arleen’s parents discovered her pregnancy, they threw her high school graduation photo against the wall and called her a “whore.” She then went to a “home for unwed mothers” where she gave birth to Christina.
Reunion was fraught with unspoken emotions and unaddressed traumas on both sides. Sadly, Arleen died at 52. 23&Me introduced Christina to her bio-father’s family, who have opened their arms and hearts to her.
Christina and her hubby David are proud parents of adult children, Sophia and Harrison. Christina is a devoted rescue pup mom and fierce animal rescue advocate. She hopes that we overcome and eliminate the shame and the secrecy surrounding adoption on all sides of the triangle.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 18:37
Mark Diebel has been married for almost 46 years and has two sons and two grandchildren. He has been serving as an Episcopal priest in parish ministry for thirty-six years. He was reunited with his birth mother, a second-generation Japanese immigrant, in 2004 when he was 49. A year later he learned that his natural father, a Cuban doctor, was killed in a bizarre accident in Matanzas Cuba in 1970. Over the years, he has learned about both of his first parents and visited their homes in Hawaii and Cuba. As an Episcopal priest, he advocated for adoptees and donor-conceived persons to have access to their personal information and their right to know their origins and their parentage. In May 2012, he wrote an essay, Human Nature and Truthfulness in Adoption and Donor Conception Practice, for the Journal for Christian Legal Thought. He explores the relationship between Christian theology and contemporary adoption practices. He talks about his adoption experience, adoption practices in general, race, and identity in sermons. Mark is currently working with The Episcopal Church as it begins to examine its complicity in the practice of forced adoptions during the Baby Scoop Era. He is retired and living close to his grandchildren in Owensboro, Kentucky.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 9:03
Cary: Coming to Terms with the Complexities of Adoption
21 May 2024
01:03:46
Cary is a baby scoop-era adoptee who was born in a Florence Crittenton Home in Atlantic City NJ in 1964. Her first mother was 19 years old and was forced to relinquish her baby like many young mothers of those times. Cary had a great upbringing in a family that loved her and never made her feel othered. In her early 30s she reunited with her birth mother and then her birth father. The reunions went well for the most part, but some family members that started out enthusiastic soon became clearly uninterested in staying connected.
Even in the best situations, adoption is incredibly complex. In recent years after the death of her older, adopted, sister, Cary has been better understanding just how complex it can be. Her relationship with her sister was great—as long as she was a child. It became more complicated and difficult as adult years went by. Losing her sister, and therefore her best connection to the parents who raised her and whom she loved dearly, has brought up a lot of adoption-related issues that she hadn't really tuned into before.
What she would like people to understand most is that an adoptee can be both happy with who they grew up with, how they were raised, and the life they’ve had, while also feeling sad and having complicated feelings about the loss they started life with, and the impact adoption has had on them.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 13:01
Ellen is a baby scoop-era New York State adoptee. She was adopted by a loving Greek American couple through a closed private adoption and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area with a younger adopted brother.
Ellen always wanted to find her original family and searched off and on starting in the early 90s but kept hitting roadblocks. Her adoptive parents were not supportive of her search so she had very little information to go on. Then a friend had her rescue dog’s DNA tested which changed everything for the better.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 16:13
Simone Pajo was born in Auckland New Zealand in 1968, the baby scoop era. She was the middle child between two bio children and was adopted after the death of the middle bio daughter. She grew up knowing her adoption was the result of a baby's death and this greatly affected the way she saw the world and her place in it. It has taken decades for Simone to form a coherent worldview where her right to her identity does not depend on the needs of others.
She has lived in the UK for over 30 years and is a law graduate and former journalist.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 13:53
Ryan Anderson is a foundling and a transnational, transracial, and late discovery adoptee (LDA). Found on the street in El Jadida, Morocco he was adopted at age 3 months and then brought to Scotland at age 6 months, in between this time he was fostered by a Moroccan family. He first found out he was adopted at age 18. Since 2020 he has been focused on personal development, to then became open to sharing his story at age 31.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 14:21
Jessica: For this Adoptee, Unsealed Records Reveal Answers Close to Home
23 Apr 2024
01:06:41
Jessica is a 1970 baby scoop-era adoptee, who started discovering her roots at age 50. After more than 80 years of closed records in NYS, she was able to obtain her original birth certificate in 2020. Two DNA tests and one secret after another uncovered a history of relinquishment, trauma, and family ties nearby of where she resides in upstate New York.
At 54, Jessica is learning to live her truth on her terms and allowing herself to heal from the lifelong effects of being adopted. A retired art teacher, she is running a thriving business and enjoying her life with her amazing sons and husband, all while continuing to uncover more pieces of her genetic puzzle.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 12:06
Gaynor was born in a mother-and-baby home and spent the first six weeks of life there before being adopted in the same town of birth. Despite a challenging childhood with an adoptive mother who exhibited narcissistic tendencies, Gaynor persevered through an unhappy adoption experience. At the age of 31, after becoming a parent, Gaynor reconnected with their birth family. This reunion, spanning over 30 years, has been a remarkable success, with Gaynor finding a true sense of belonging and love.
The journey of healing from past traumas has been long and profound. Writing a memoir, intended for her grandchildren, has been a significant part of her healing process. Now in a great place in life, Gaynor finds strength and peace in sharing her story, turning past challenges into a narrative of resilience and hope in the form of letters to all the people who have been important in her life.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 12:50
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Valerie: Mystic Masquerade, An Adoptee's Search for Truth
16 Apr 2024
01:13:12
Valerie Naiman is an adoptee, singer, story-songwriter, eco-village founder, ontologist, and author. Her #1 bestseller book, Mystic Masquerade, an Adoptee's Search for Truth, was based on five decades of a search that took her around the world as she unraveled the mystery of her stolen identity.
Valerie holds a master's degree in Art and worked as a costume designer and actress in film and theatre in NY, Miami & LA. She’s the President of the Spirit Foundation, a non-profit that supports disenfranchised children..She also leads seekers to sacred sites in the USA and abroad. In 1990 she had an intense vision that ended up founding the first Eco-village in North America.
Through all of her adventures, she journaled her findings as she excavated her biological and spiritual identity.
Presently, Valerie is completing an audiobook version of Mystic Masquerade and producing an album of story songs about her search. She now lives on a small organic farm in Asheville, NC with her dwarf goats and honeybees.
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community. Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie, Lynn Wood, Jeff Wadstrom, Karla, Ellen Ashcraft, Gayle Whitlock, Dave, Kim Mullis, Simone Jung, Liesl de Wet, Kelly Jennings, Sherry Espinoza and Barbara Whitacre.
Chris Valdheims is a domestic adoptee born in the late 1970s and adopted in the early 1980s after spending years of his early childhood in foster care. Growing up, he knew very little about his birth family other than his mother and father had met while she worked as a librarian at MIT. He also knew his father was Black, and his mother had immigrated to the United States from Latvia. He spent years searching for answers about his family of origin, and in 2009, he stumbled upon a complex story that involved his grandfather, a then-unknown geometric artist named Zanis Waldheims.
Following the trail from there, he began to unravel the mystery of his family history and, in the process, learn more about himself and where he had come from. His journey took him to Canada, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania for answers, and he shares the story in a recently completed memoir for which he is currently seeking the right publishing partner. Along the way, he discovered that his father may have been one of the astronauts killed in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster.
He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons and is the founder of a well-known law firm, Counsel for Creators.
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community.
Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie, Lynn Wood, Jeff Wadstrom, Karla, Ellen Ashcraft, Gayle Whitlock, Dave, Kim Mullis, Simone Jung, Liesl de Wet and Kelly Jennings.
Margaret Jane: For this Adoptee, the Questions Came Early
02 Apr 2024
00:59:19
After being an only child all her life, Margaret Jane’s adoptive parents adopted four more children through the foster care system. This experience of witnessing adoption through foster care, and being the oldest sister of a group of adoptees, has given her a unique perspective and experience with adoption.
Margaret Jane is married to her high school sweetheart, who she shares 3 kiddos with. She is an avid gardener, houseplant collector, and sourdough enthusiast. She also enjoys playing various musical instruments with her family and singing and playing for her church worship team.
Margaret Jane works as an adoption “storyteller” for Adoption.com, where her job is to write and tell her own adoption story, as well as the adoption stories of other adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents. She is passionate about educating adoptive parents on how to do adoption better. She is also passionate about amplifying adoptee voices and sharing their stories.
To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 11:31
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page.
Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community.
Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie, Lynn Wood, Jeff Wadstrom, Karla, Ellen Ashcraft, Gayle Whitlock, Dave & Kim Mullis.
Susan Ito is the author of the memoir, I Would Meet You Anywhere, published by the Ohio State University Press in November 2023. She co-edited the literary anthology A Ghost At Heart’s Edge: Stories & Poems of Adoption. Her work has appeared in The Writer, Growing Up Asian American, Choice, Hip Mama, Literary Mama, Catapult, Hyphen, The Bellevue Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her theatrical adaption of Untold, stories of reproductive stigma, was produced at Brava Theater. She is a member of the Writers’ Grotto, and teaches at the Mills College campus of Northeastern University. She was a co-organizer of Rooted and Written, a writing workshop for writers of color.
Update: Although we are unable to attend Chicago's Foglift in May, here is the link for Early Bird tickets: Foglift Early Bird Link: Chicago: May 17th & 18th
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page. Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community.
Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie, Lynn Wood, Jeff Wadstrom & Karla.
Stacie: For This Adoptee, the Longing Tugged at her Heart
19 Mar 2024
00:59:49
Stacie is a Canadian born and an adoptee to same race and religion parents in 1991-1992. She is part of a mixed family of adopted and “home-made” siblings, all boys, and is the second oldest. She grew up mostly outdoors in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Traveling to Canada every summer fostered loving bonds with both of her grandmas and many cousins. Living further away from them, though, meant she had to create her group of “family” as she grew up. She’s maintained supportive friendships spanning over 25 years that have involved a lot of skiing, hiking, traveling, education, football games, collecting dogs, significant others, and now nieces and nephews.
Reading and music have always been crucial in her life allowing her to think beyond the mountains enclosing the valley she grew up in. Her parents couldn’t contain her independence early on as she studied abroad in Costa Rica and then Spain. After the initial culture shock, she thrives in solitude; searching for something untouched by her conscious mind, a longing that always tugged at her heart. Learning about and experiencing other cultures has been a way to fill the void of her unknown lineage. She isn’t afraid to show her gratitude in any setting: thankfulness, every moment, every experience, and every person who has contributed to that sense of fullness.
Regardless of the reason for “searching” for a first family, Stacie believes in adoptees. should always feel free and empowered to do so. She doesn’t believe there is a “right” way to do it as adoptees never signed a legal form to be in this position so they shouldn’t be held to the standards are adoptive parents agreed to. The World Wide Web is our friend!
Stacie hopes to finish her memoir at some point in the future and maintain healthy relationships with all the family involved in her birth and upbringing. You can find her only on Instagram @stacegrier or in the mountains. Sending so much love to all the adoptees finding their way or already there
Update: We are not able to attend Chicago Foglift - to attend: Foglift Early Bird Link: Chicago: May 17th & 18th
LIVE PODCAST GUEST: If you would like to be the guest on the LIVE podcast by Sarah & Louise, please send an email to: themakingofmepodcast@gmail.com (make sure you are free to be in Chicago and you would be comfortable in front of a live audience and being filmed/recorded). We will choose one adoptee.
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page. Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community.
Ken DeStefano is a domestic adoptee born in the late 1960's and raised in a caring and loving home. As an adoptee, he has had a largely happy life, but always wondered about the unknown. That curiosity led to a search for his birth mother and a reunification with her. His debut novel, "I Will See You Again...Hearts Will Sing," tells the story of two people whose past, present, and future lives are inexplicably linked.
Update: We are not able to attend Chicago Foglift - to attend: Foglift Early Bird Link: Chicago: May 17th & 18th
LIVE PODCAST GUEST: If you would like to be the guest on the LIVE podcast by Sarah & Louise, please send an email to: themakingofmepodcast@gmail.com (make sure you are free to be in Chicago and you would be comfortable in front of a live audience and being filmed/recorded). We will choose one adoptee.
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page. Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie & Karla.
Victoria: A Change in the Law Led to Search and Reunion
05 Mar 2024
01:06:24
Victoria Rich never expected to search for her biological family. Always curious about her origins, she did a photography project at the infant home where she was born but did not pursue any personal searching. Then she read The Girls Who Went Away and was struck that so many of the women interviewed said they thought about and worried about their babies all the time. She had grown up hearing the message that you should never look because it would be too painful to open up the old wounds for the birth mother. After about a decade of debating whether or not to search, New York State opened its adoption records in 2020. She first spoke to her birth mother the week before the pandemic shutdown. Their reunion was the subject of a PBS Self-Evident Episode.
Update: We are not able to attend Chicago Foglift - to attend: Foglift Early Bird Link: Chicago: May 17th & 18th
LIVE PODCAST GUEST: If you would like to be the guest on the LIVE podcast by Sarah & Louise, please send an email to: themakingofmepodcast@gmail.com (make sure you are free to be in Chicago and you would be comfortable in front of a live audience and being filmed/recorded). We will choose one adoptee.
If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page. Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada, The Harpy, Kristan Higgin, Lisa Thompson, Michelle Goodwine, Jesper Laursen, Julie Malone, Rivi Shocket , Robert Perrino, Colleen McCall, Janet MacDonald, Robin Wells, Lynn Grubb, Mikki Jackson-Brown, Sharon Katzmann, Carol Levitt, Elizabeth McDonald, Diane Moore, Ann Mikeska, Darra Robins, A.M. Homes, Kelly Layton, Lynn Marie & Karla.