By Janice Jones(Author of Dr. Beare’s Daughter: Growing Up Adopted, Adored, and Afraid) I was four-and-a-half months old in 1947 when I was adopted by Ralph and Lou Beare of Celina, Ohio. My new father… 

by Kathleen KirsteinI am a late-discovery adoptee. I learned I was adopted at age forty-nine when I couldn’t get a passport because, on the application, I couldn’t explain why my birth certificate had been filed… 

by Stacey Gatlin, AKA Board Member and founder of Yes We Adopt

By Hannah Andrews“If you want a Vegas wedding or the chance to file a restraining order, date an adopted person, or—really what I am saying: me.”(Anne Heffron in You Don’t Look Adopted) This month’s theme… 

By Ruby Barnett The first time I saw my birth certificate, I was fourteen. It was a rainy February afternoon in North London, and I was rifling through Dad’s drawer of important documents while he… 

by Hannah Andrews Our theme at AKA all month has been, “Identity and Belonging.” It could be my theme for the year. Maybe several years. Identity and belonging (or lack thereof) seep into every aspect… 

by Janice JonesMy concept of family has always been different than most. I was adopted as an infant, and I knew I was adopted from a very early age. I was aware that while I… 

by Lake Calder​I wonder…do all parents think their kids are going to get married and have kids of their own to spend holidays with? Is that just part of the parental mentality? Most parents expect… 

by Corey Goldwaves(Chaotic rhyme scheme to match my emotional state)​ As I enter the home to over-salted deviled eggs, loud dogs, and poisonous side conversations,the adoptive family quickly unleashes their shallow holiday greetings and stale… 

By Hannah AndrewsFirst things first. As 2024 draws to a close, I want to express my gratitude to our guest bloggers. Your essays and poetry are a generous and precious gift to our community. Words…