Joi R. Fisher-Griffin is an award-winning educator, author, adoption advocate, and a question-asking person who wants to help fix systems that are not working. She is an entrepreneur who founded MindThrive Publishers and self-published her memoir, Finding Joi: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Love. She has a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Educational Administration, and is a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Leadership.
Joi’s family life story has changed over the past four years as an adult adoptee in reunion with her birth parents and as a newlywed. Joi enjoys community service, singing, and dancing and aspires to be a voice-over artist. Family is at the heart of everything Joi does, not only in her personal life but also in changing the mindset around adoption.
Joi’s journey as an author began in her junior year of high school when she took a performing arts class, which included creative writing. There, Joi learned that she was a better writer than she thought. Through that teacher's guidance, Joi was taught to reorganize her thoughts into cohesive pieces of writing. For Joi, writing is a release of all the things going on in her mind. However, it was after taking part in a life-changing group conversation with adoptees, adopted parents, and birth parents at the age of 46 that Joi knew that she wanted to write about her adoption journey, become a strong advocate for adoptive and foster families, and normalize the conversation about adoption.
Joi wants to bring awareness to the hidden impact of adoption, foster care, abandonment, and trauma. She is on a mission to heal hearts, bridge gaps, help people find their community, identify resources, and erase adoption shame. To fulfill this goal, Joi created “The Belong Project”, an adoption awareness campaign that strives for every adoptee to reach their full potential, to be whole and healed, and to find joy in their adoption story.
This work has influenced her work with young people and adoptive families. Joi saw the need for stories that could introduce the topic of adoption to children. She is the author of two best-selling children’s adoption books Choosing Joi: An Adoptee’s Journey and Finding Belonging and Singing with Joi: There Are Lots of Different Ways to Be a Family. These books are a part of normalizing conversations around adoption. Based on her speaking experiences she adopted the mantra "Stop Whispering... Let's Talk Adoption". Joi’s aim is to create moments of connection for others and give a true voice to adoptees' experiences.
Joi currently serves on the Leadership Team of Miriam's Heart organization, in New Jersey, supporting adoptive and foster families and she is a proud member of the Morristown Post Adoption Support Group.
Joi’s family life story has changed over the past four years as an adult adoptee in reunion with her birth parents and as a newlywed. Joi enjoys community service, singing, and dancing and aspires to be a voice-over artist. Family is at the heart of everything Joi does, not only in her personal life but also in changing the mindset around adoption.
Joi’s journey as an author began in her junior year of high school when she took a performing arts class, which included creative writing. There, Joi learned that she was a better writer than she thought. Through that teacher's guidance, Joi was taught to reorganize her thoughts into cohesive pieces of writing. For Joi, writing is a release of all the things going on in her mind. However, it was after taking part in a life-changing group conversation with adoptees, adopted parents, and birth parents at the age of 46 that Joi knew that she wanted to write about her adoption journey, become a strong advocate for adoptive and foster families, and normalize the conversation about adoption.
Joi wants to bring awareness to the hidden impact of adoption, foster care, abandonment, and trauma. She is on a mission to heal hearts, bridge gaps, help people find their community, identify resources, and erase adoption shame. To fulfill this goal, Joi created “The Belong Project”, an adoption awareness campaign that strives for every adoptee to reach their full potential, to be whole and healed, and to find joy in their adoption story.
This work has influenced her work with young people and adoptive families. Joi saw the need for stories that could introduce the topic of adoption to children. She is the author of two best-selling children’s adoption books Choosing Joi: An Adoptee’s Journey and Finding Belonging and Singing with Joi: There Are Lots of Different Ways to Be a Family. These books are a part of normalizing conversations around adoption. Based on her speaking experiences she adopted the mantra "Stop Whispering... Let's Talk Adoption". Joi’s aim is to create moments of connection for others and give a true voice to adoptees' experiences.
Joi currently serves on the Leadership Team of Miriam's Heart organization, in New Jersey, supporting adoptive and foster families and she is a proud member of the Morristown Post Adoption Support Group.
"I was comforted as I kept thinking,You felt that way, too, Joi? As different as our experiences were as relinquished and adopted people, a lot of what we felt was the same. The deep seriousness of this memoir is threaded through with anecdotes that bring both tears and laughter. I am so glad that Joi took the time to chronicle her journal so carefully so that she could share it with us."
Pam Hasegawa,Spokesperson,NJ Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education
“Bravo! Joi's honest, moving story of self-discovery, adoption and re-union is a moving, important addition of books by and about the adoption experience written by adopted people themselves.
Alison Larkin ,Comedienne
Award-winning audio book narrator, and bestselling author of The English American, a novel
“Finding Joi is filled with heartfelt questions, everyday situations, and emotions, that shed light on the myriad of challenges adoptees face in searching for answers to our existence. Although the journey of every adoptee is different, the similarities are uncanny; whether male or female, young or old, adoptees knowledge of our birth parents and family history are critical to healing, forgiveness and filling the constant void in our lives. Joi’s story resonated with me on many levels and I am grateful to have connected with her. Regardless of success, accolades, or stature, at the end of the day, all adoptees want to know, “Who Am I Really?” I hope that Joi’s story encourages other adoptees to share their truth and find peace in their discovery.”
Damon Davis,Host,“Who Am I... Really?” Podcast
“Joi Fisher's memoir is one of the most insightful books of an adoptee's journey that I have ever read. Joi speaks to her experiences on so many levels that it is a MUST READ for everyone touched by adoption (Adoptees, Adoptive parents, Birth parents, siblings, etc.). I couldn't put it down!”
Tom McGee, Co-facilitator
Morristown Post Adoption Support Group Adoption Activist, NJCARE (New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform)
“I have known Joi for quite a some time but was not aware that she was adopted until a couple of years ago. Through reading her book, I found her story to be rather fascinating. Through her pen, I walked along her journey with her. Her story is one of a compelling complete self-discovery. Not only is it a fascinating read, but there are a plethora of lessons for the non-adopted reader to take away as well.”
Principal Baruti Kafele, Educator / Author
“I love reading about adopted people helping each other. Joi's book will help others by passing along so honestly the lessons she's learned.”
Penny Callan Partridge, Co-founder in 1973 of Adoption Forum of Philadelphia
Pam Hasegawa,Spokesperson,NJ Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education
“Bravo! Joi's honest, moving story of self-discovery, adoption and re-union is a moving, important addition of books by and about the adoption experience written by adopted people themselves.
Alison Larkin ,Comedienne
Award-winning audio book narrator, and bestselling author of The English American, a novel
“Finding Joi is filled with heartfelt questions, everyday situations, and emotions, that shed light on the myriad of challenges adoptees face in searching for answers to our existence. Although the journey of every adoptee is different, the similarities are uncanny; whether male or female, young or old, adoptees knowledge of our birth parents and family history are critical to healing, forgiveness and filling the constant void in our lives. Joi’s story resonated with me on many levels and I am grateful to have connected with her. Regardless of success, accolades, or stature, at the end of the day, all adoptees want to know, “Who Am I Really?” I hope that Joi’s story encourages other adoptees to share their truth and find peace in their discovery.”
Damon Davis,Host,“Who Am I... Really?” Podcast
“Joi Fisher's memoir is one of the most insightful books of an adoptee's journey that I have ever read. Joi speaks to her experiences on so many levels that it is a MUST READ for everyone touched by adoption (Adoptees, Adoptive parents, Birth parents, siblings, etc.). I couldn't put it down!”
Tom McGee, Co-facilitator
Morristown Post Adoption Support Group Adoption Activist, NJCARE (New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform)
“I have known Joi for quite a some time but was not aware that she was adopted until a couple of years ago. Through reading her book, I found her story to be rather fascinating. Through her pen, I walked along her journey with her. Her story is one of a compelling complete self-discovery. Not only is it a fascinating read, but there are a plethora of lessons for the non-adopted reader to take away as well.”
Principal Baruti Kafele, Educator / Author
“I love reading about adopted people helping each other. Joi's book will help others by passing along so honestly the lessons she's learned.”
Penny Callan Partridge, Co-founder in 1973 of Adoption Forum of Philadelphia
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© Finding Joi 2021
MindThrive Publishers Rights © Finding Joi 2021
Choosing Joi, and Singing with Joi characters, names and related indicia and trademarks of © MindThrive Publishers and Rights © FINDING JOI 2021 All rights reserved.
The Belong Project is a trademark of Finding Joi and MindThrive Publishers.
MindThrive Publishers Rights © Finding Joi 2021
Choosing Joi, and Singing with Joi characters, names and related indicia and trademarks of © MindThrive Publishers and Rights © FINDING JOI 2021 All rights reserved.
The Belong Project is a trademark of Finding Joi and MindThrive Publishers.
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