104 – You’re Obviously One Of Us
Karen is from Stratford, Ontario, Canada. She shares her story of growing up a woman of color who stood out in her family and community. Locating her birth mother she found little connection and a bit of tension, but ultimately she wants to keep the relationship going. That’s partially because her paternal reunion, while fulfilling in the most heartwarming ways, was sadly too brief. This is Karen’s journey. The post http://www.whoamireallypodcast.com/104-youre-obviously-one-of-us/ (104 – You’re Obviously One Of Us) appeared first on http://www.whoamireallypodcast.com (Who Am I...Really? Podcast). Karen (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/ST0MkOBe-EmCpBOoRNC5Iv0YfLLGly_bU2VPB8zYppc6BHOdg1GyUemqV-90u8k0RclR2QlQNwTE2CBkG5D2XhDUbBs?loadFrom=SharedLinkats=4.22 (00:04)): I was so sad at the time. I wish that that had been possible just because of everything I had been through as a kid and never feeling like I belonged and realizing that there had been a possibility that I could have been raised by him that he wanted to, but wasn't given an option. Damon (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/ST0MkOBe-EmCpBOoRNC5Iv0YfLLGly_bU2VPB8zYppc6BHOdg1GyUemqV-90u8k0RclR2QlQNwTE2CBkG5D2XhDUbBs?loadFrom=SharedLinkats=32.84 (00:32)): Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Damon (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/ST0MkOBe-EmCpBOoRNC5Iv0YfLLGly_bU2VPB8zYppc6BHOdg1GyUemqV-90u8k0RclR2QlQNwTE2CBkG5D2XhDUbBs?loadFrom=SharedLinkats=44.81 (00:44)): Who am I really a podcast about adoptees that have located and connected with their biological family members? I'm Damon Davis and on today's show is Karen. I spoke with her from Stratford, Ontario, Canada. She shares her story of growing up a woman of color who stood out in her family and community locating her birth mother. She found little connection and a bit of tension, but ultimately she wants to keep the relationship going. That's partially because her paternal reunion while fulfilling in the most heartwarming ways was sadly too brief. This is Karen's journey. Karen opened by saying how helpful the show has been for understanding how other adoptees feel, because it's not often that the subject of our own adoptions comes up. So sometimes the people who are closest to us don't even know we're adoptees. The night before our interview, she was sitting around a campfire on the beach where she told someone she's known for 10 years, that she was going to be interviewed the next day about her adoption, her friend, remarked, that she didn't even know that fact about Karen. I hope you'll forgive the raspiness of Karen's voice. Apparently it was a great time around the campfire that night. Karen shared that she was born in Toronto, Canada and adopted as an infant after spending time with two different foster families in the Toronto newspaper. In the 1960s and seventies, there was a column called today's child, which listed children for adoption, who were considered less desirable for adoption to use Karen's words. These children were older, were not white, or maybe had some sort of disability. Karen (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/ST0MkOBe-EmCpBOoRNC5Iv0YfLLGly_bU2VPB8zYppc6BHOdg1GyUemqV-90u8k0RclR2QlQNwTE2CBkG5D2XhDUbBs?loadFrom=SharedLinkats=150.77 (02:30)): I was one of those children. And, um, I have a copy of that, that article. So there's picture of me when I'm nine months old and then they write a description about me. And it's funny, I just went over it again this morning. And the description that they wrote about me then is still the same for me now, Damon (https://www.temi.com/editor/t/ST0MkOBe-EmCpBOoRNC5Iv0YfLLGly_bU2VPB8zYppc6BHOdg1GyUemqV-90u8k0RclR2QlQNwTE2CBkG5D2XhDUbBs?loadFrom=SharedLinkats=171.08 (02:51)): Really it was an accurate depiction of who your personality is, and isn't that fascinating to read that it really is. Karen... Support this podcast
