IAMAdoptee and Korean American Story Collaboration

It began again with the death of a young 14 year old Korean adoptee by suicide.  Her death and the stories of death by suicide of adoptees from Korea, Ethiopia, India, Vietnam and more emerged louder and clearer.  For those of us serving and supporting the well-being of intercountry adoptees from academics to clinicians, this was not astonishing, but deeply troubling. 

With the generosity of Korean American Story and their commitment to preserving stories of all Korean Americans, IAMAdoptee collaborated by supporting this endeavor with a brave assemblage of adoptees from multiple generations. 

We felt it important to hear the achievements and challenges of growing up in America as an adoptee of color with a focus on age, gender and region.  We asked adoptees in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s to share their lived experience with adoption, mental health, and suicide, as well as a visual reminder of hope and that we are all a part of a larger whole.  It was a personal ask of these men and women to open up and share, for some, the only time they have ever done so in such a public way.