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News:
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Essential reading for adopted children
and young people, adoptive parents and professionals
I am in the final stages of editing a book of writing, poetry and
artwork by adopted children and young people. I will be creating a book for adopted children so they can read about: other
adopted children and young people's feelings and thoughts about adoption; their adoption, contact, adoption support and reunion
experiences; their transnational adoption experiences; their tips for adopted children, adoptive parents and social workers;
and their hopes for the future.
Pieces of writing will be anything from a single sentence on adoption to much
longer pieces of writing and poetry. All writing will be about adoption, or living in foster care, residential
care or with birth family prior to being adopted.
The editor, Dr. Perlita Harris, is a lecturer in social work,
a social worker, an adopted adult, and the editor of 'In search of belonging'(BAAF 2006).
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Events:
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GRUB 'N' PUB LONDON SOCIAL
TUESDAY 20TH March, 2007.
Report By: Perlita Harris
A big thank you to everyone who braved the cold and sleet to come along to the TTAG Social last night in Chinatown, London!
We met in a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown at 6pm and then just before 8pm moved on to a nearby bar where we continued
to chat informally in small groups. I hope that everyone agrees that we had a good time, eating and talking about our own
experiences of adoption, search and reunion, and Angelina Jolie's adoption of a three and a half year old Vietnamese boy (currently
in the media).
The number of members who came along was relatively small (9) (probably due to the weather) but this meant that we all
got a chance to talk to each other. As with the last few TTAG Socials, between us we had a wide range of experiences of adoption.
Our parentages were wide-ranging, also: Indian (born in the UK), El Salvadorean (born in the UK), Peruvian, Ethiopian, Chinese,
Haitian, Chinese (born in Hong Kong - two people) and Pakistani (born in the UK).
A number of members expressed interest in meeting other transnational adoptees from the same birth country of origin:
Haiti, Peru and Ethiopia.
Several people were attending a TTAG Social for the first time, including Jennifer from California who hopes to set up
a TTAG group in San Franscisco (USA).
The next London-based TTAG Social is being arranged by TTAG member, Judith, and is likely to be activity-based followed
by a meal in a restaurant. The event will probably be on a Saturday afternoon/evening in either late April or May. Details
will be posted on the website in due course.
Pictures courtesy of Perlita Harris © 2006 Transnational and Transracial Adoption Group
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INAUGURAL TTAG SOCIAL EVENT!!
Saturday 16th September, 2006
Report by: Perlita Harris
Picture courtesy of Dominique Rhodes © 2006 Transnational and Transracial Adoption Group
Wow!! Saturday's Social in London was amazing. Now, where to start?! There must have been almost 20 of us, some people arrived
early and others were still arriving 3 hours later! We were a mixture of transnational and transracial adoptees, some London
based but many people had travelled from different parts of the country - from Cambridge, Derbyshire, Preston, Bournemouth,
Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. There were transnational adoptees who had been born in: Singapore (2), Columbia, Peru,
Hong Kong(3), El Salvador(2), India (2), Japan, and Nigeria. Those of us born in England were of a range of parentages too:
Indian, Italian/Fijian (Polynesian), Libyan, Pakistani/Swedish, Pakistani/Jamaican/Italian. (I hope I've remembered correctly
- apologies to anyone whose parentage I may have described incorrectly or anyone I haven't mentioned). We chatted and we chatted,
in small groups, while bags of crisps, chocolate biscuits and other snacks were passsed around. Some of us exchanged contact
details and a few people bought copies of 'In search of belonging: Reflections by transracially adopted people'. Then, at
about 4.30 pm, we vacated the venue and the remaining group moved on to a bar or restaurant. All in all, it was very successful
and I think that everyone enjoyed themselves. For some, this was the first time they'd met another transracially adopted person.
For one person, this was the first time she'd met another adoptee from the same birth country!
The next TTAG Social will be on a Saturday afternoon at the end of November in London (date and venue to be confirmed).
And, in the meantime, David will be organising a TTAG get-together in Manchester. If you've any ideas on what you'd like from
the next Social or feedback on Saturday's one, we'd love to hear from you.
Finally, we would like to extend our 'thanks', once again, to After Adoption whose offices were put to great use. Valerie
Sayers, Service Manager, Southeast Region was in attendence for the first 1/2 hour. We look forward to further collaborative
events/projects in the future...!
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events@ttag.org.uk
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