THE BELONG PROJECT: AN ADOPTION AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Why is it when we talk about adoption ... WE Whisper?
It is time to normalize the conversation, to heal the hearts, to bridge gaps, to unify the community, and to acknowledge the challenges and the joys in all things adoption.
It is my hope to enlighten our world to some of the hidden pains of adoption, to help all of us understand the impact of complex trauma and how society's beliefs about adoption negatively impact members of the adoption triad. It starts with us changing the narrative.
I’ve turned my passion into an adoption awareness campaign called THE BELONG PROJECT. There are six key care strategies that we cover in THE BELONG PROJECT, and I hope one of them resonates with you today.
B - Believe adoptees stories. Bridge the gap within the adoption triad E - Educate the general public about the real impact of adoption. Equip adoptees with tools to thrive. L - Lend your voice to advocacy efforts. Liberate the hearts of those suffering in silence to change the legacy of loss. O - Operationalize the care across all sectors. Organize systems of support N - Normalize the conversation. Nurture and care for the vulnerable populations G - Give adequate resources needed for adoptees to thrive. Make space for members of the adoption triad to Grieve their losses.
THE BELONG PROJECT is an adoption awareness campaign that can foster lasting results in the lives of the adoption triad one conversation at a time.
*** Choosing Joi: An Adoptee’s Journey and Finding Belonging Written by Joi R. Fisher-Griffin Illustrated by Sameer Kassar When Joi sees yet ANOTHER bad movie on TV about an adoptee, she decides that it’s time for her to tell the story about her adoption. The perfect opportunity comes at school when her group is asked to do a play about “Family.” But standing up for your truth, and fighting the world’s image of you, is tough to do all by yourself, and Joi soon feels discouraged when her idea is shot down. Things change when new boy Elijah arrives, and Joi finds out they have something unique in common. Can Joi fix their friendship when it is tested and stay true to herself?
Singing with Joi: There Are Lots of Different Ways to be a Family Written by Joi R. Fisher-Griffin Illustrated by Sameer Kassar The school talent show becomes another opportunity for Joi to tell her truth when Joi signs up her and her dad to be a music act. Joi is sick of being the only family who looks different, so she vows to be the best music act there. But things start to go wrong when a mean comment makes Joi question her worth. Fun turns to fear, and Joi’s desire to win to prove everyone wrong has bad consequences when Joi’s dad is injured. Can Joi overcome her struggle, embrace the value in being different, and teach the other kids about what family can mean?
