Presenting at NASPA National Conference 2019
On Belonging & Being Enough: Transracial Adoptees in Higher Education
Description
Beginning in summer of 2018, a collective transracial adoptees (TRA) - those who had been adopted into families of a different race and/or ethnicity - banded together. Our end goal was to create a presentation for the NASPA National Conference in March, 2019 to bring visibility to the invisible lived experiences TRA folx* experience in higher education, both as students and professionals. Our presentation session was sponsored by the MultiRacial Knowledge Community of NASPA.
Work Samples:
- Supporting Asian-American Transracial Adoptee Students on College Campuses
- Problem Statement Paper Asian-American Transracial Adoptee Experience in Higher Education
Importance
As the field of higher education evolves within an inclusive lens, it must work to provide space and opportunities for reflections and inquiry for TRA folx, who come from living in two worlds. Being a person of a different race/ethnicity than their adopted family, while also growing up with the perspective lens of that adopted family can provide experiences of "otherness" in world of just wanting to belong. Within higher education, this "explores the learner in context throughout the lifespan" as directed by the program distinctiveness of the Higher Education Administration program of Northeastern University. This includes learning what spaces are being created to allow the TRA community to explore identity, particularly through critical race theory.
Skills
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Public Speaking
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Group Facilitation
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Collaboration
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Advocacy
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Vulnerability
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Policy Design
Lessons Learned
Presenting at a national conference for the first time was a very empowering, emotional, passionate and vulnerable experience for me personally. Especially, given the intimate topic of discussion.
Professionally, we must continue to develop partnerships and network across higher education. Doing so allows for a more rigorous conversation of the issues in the field while also exploring innovative ways to advocate for issues and find solutions to support student success. Connecting with other TRA individuals within this experience aligned also with the programs distinctiveness to "effectively meld applied professional practice and scholarship."
I listened to other's perspectives and stories, engaged more critically to build cultural competencies, as well as formulated with others to offer industry wide steps toward more inclusive practices for TRA folx.
*Why do I spell folx with an "x"?
Presenting at NASPA National Conference 2019 in Los Angeles, CA with other transracial adoptee higher education professionals and graduate students.
