transnational adoption

In this episode we chatted with Edward Yoo Pokropski, the Executive Producer of the upcoming Asian Comedy Fest! Ed is also Writer/Producer for the Brand Creative Team at USA Network and Universal Kids for NBCUniversal. He has been nominated for a daytime Emmy twice and won zero times. He also performs stand-up and hosts events, sometimes for money, sometimes for a drink ticket and a story. He is originally from Philly and proud to be a Korean American adoptee. Ed tells us about moving to New York six years ago, which was the catalyst for developing confidence in his own voice, in both comedy and as an Asian American. This journey from community to activism ultimately led to the creation of the Asian Comedy Fest. Buy tickets now for the digital premiere of the Asian Comedy Fest on May 27th from asiancomedyfest.com (you’ll receive a private link that will stay active for 48 hours) Proceeds benefit Apex for Youth (apexforyouth.org) Follow @asiancomedyfest on Instagram, Twitter and FB Watch Ed’s talk on his Korean adoptee experience for Crushing The Myth here: https://youtu.be/Nn7KNLU2k58 *note: “수박 겉 핥기” (su-bak geot halk-ki) Meaning: doing something superficially, scratching the surface Literal meaning: Licking the skin of a watermelon

What is han (한)? What is jeong (정)? How can we apply them in our lives in a practical way? In today’s episode we unpack these Korean concepts and discuss how they may offer different insights from conventional Western psychology. Our guide for this conversation is Kristine Chong, a Korean American spiritual care practitioner and activist. Warm, genuine, and down-to-earth, Kristine tells us about her non-linear pathway to chaplaincy work, her multi-passionate career (a combination of spiritual care, activism, and coffee!), and her approach to ongoing healing, which may be as simple—and as difficult—as small actions, often. We also touch on shared experiences between 2nd generation and adopted Koreans, and the perceived pressure to feel “authentic” in one’s cultural identity. At the very end, Kristine guides us through a beautiful self-jeong healing practice, which you can try with us as you listen—perfect for sitting with any feelings of 2020 grief, anger and loss, and for heading mindfully into the holiday season. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us, Kristine! We truly felt the jeong over Zoom! About Kristine: Kristine Chong (she/her/hers) is a 2nd generation Korean American chaplain, activist, and online editor for Inheritance magazine. A former organizer, service provider, and researcher, Kristine’s ethos of spiritual care is rooted in the interconnectedness of spiritual and social change. Her praxis of care integrates liberationist, postcolonial, anticapitalist, and ecofeminist ethics. To read some of Kristine’s work, and to check out her magazine, please head to: https://www.inheritancemag.com/contributor/kristine-chong

[CW: suicide] This is the final episode of our 3-part series on adoptee suicide awareness and prevention, dedicated to a special member of our community who died last year. We speak with Louise, a Korean adoptee in Australia whose sister, also a Korean adoptee, died by suicide. Louise tells us her very personal story and shares her unique perspective on the impacts of her sister’s death, her grief journey so far, and her reflections on the relationship between adoption and mental health. In this conversation, Louise mentions: David Kessler, a grief counsellor and author who has suffered grief first hand when he lost his son. Kessler offers a free online 'Suicide Loss Support Series.' You can find this series and numerous other workshops and resources at: www.davidkesslertraining.com Leigh Sales' book 'Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life.' In it, she interviews people after they have lost someone special and talks about their journey with grief. Australia's suicide call back service (www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au). See our website for more links to support services in Australia, Korea, and the U.S.

In this episode, we talk to another special friend—Lauren Jung, an accomplished ultra-marathon and trail runner, an active member of the adoptee community in Seoul, a soon-to-be law school student, and a passionate dog mum. Lauren reflects on the early days of moving to Korea almost 6 years ago, what running means to her, and preparing to close this chapter of her life to start law school in the US. Brilliant yet modest, passionate yet practical, generous, down-to-earth, and thoughtful—these are some of the words that we’d use to describe Lauren and it was such a pleasure to chat with her. Mentioned in this episode: If you’d like to learn more about Adam Crapser’s lawsuit: http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20190818000088 https://apnews.com/12472d8f87944f12ae63f74a2829a410 If you’d like to take the Grit questionnaire for yourself: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/

Hana sat down with Hilbrand Westra in Seoul, after participating in one of his workshops for adoptees, for an extended convo that goes deep into feelings. They talk about the systemic approach, core issues that adoptees face, the path to healing, the limitations of conventional talking therapy for some adoptees, working specifically with men, and more. [CW: This episode discusses adoptee suicide] Hilbrand is a Korean adoptee from the Netherlands, well-known in the international adoptee community for his activism and leadership over the past 30 years. After working in human resources management for big corporate firms, he encountered Systemic Work and Constellations, a multi-dimensional form of somatic psychotherapy that originated in Europe, and ultimately became a therapeutic practitioner in this method. He now conducts workshops, trains facilitators, and provides personal coaching, specialising in adoption, foster care, and migration issues. For more information about Hilbrand and the systemic approach, you can visit his website: http://www.adoptionconstellations.com/