Adoptees In The Wild: Andy Marra (uplifting and empowering story)

[me b zola]

Andy is a Korean adoptee from Bethlehem, NY, who currently lives in New York City. She is a member of the LGBT community. Andy’s story became widespread after she blogged about her visit back to Korea for the first time and about her reunion with her birth mother and sister: huffingtonpost.com/andy-marra. Hear her talk about that experience, as well as her journey as a Korean adoptee.

~11 minute video @ link~wonderful story, well worth the click~
http://gazillionvoices.com/adoptees-in-the-wild-andy-marra/


Here's the link to the story referenced in the video interview. It appeared in HuffPo in 2012, I missed it at the time but what a great story.

The Beautiful Daughter: How My Korean Mother Gave Me the Courage to Transition

~snip~

"Mother," I slowly repeated in Korean. "I am not a boy. I am a girl. I am transgender." My face reddened, and tears blurred my vision. I braced myself for her rejection and the end to a relationship that had only begun.

Silence again filled the room. I searched my mother's eyes for any signs of shock, disgust or sadness. But a serene expression lined her face as she sat with ease on the couch. I started to worry that my words had been lost in translation. Then my mother began to speak.

"Mommy knew," she said calmly through my friend, who looked just as dumbfounded as I was by her response. "I was waiting for you to tell me."

~ much more @ link~
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-marra/the-beautiful-daughter-how-my-korean-mother-gave-me-the-courage-to-transition_b_2139956.html

I hope others will find this story as uplifting as I do.

[me b zola]

1. At around 4:40in the video...

Andy tells how the narrative about her circumstances/relinquishment that her adoptive parents and she were lead to believe (I am assuming by the adoption agency) was very different from the truth. This is not uncommon in adoptions, and seems to be much more prevalent in intercountry adoptions.

Andy insightfully points out how incredibly wrong it is to mislead someone about their own story as our identities are formed in part by our history.

[me b zola]

2. ...

[me b zola]

3. ~hugs~

[me b zola]

4. I am so very happy that Andy had adoptive parents who knew the importance of nurturing her identity

They took it upon themselves to involve her in Korean cultural activities and events, and supported her in her search for her family in Korea.

[UtahLib]

5. A very special story. Thanks for posting it. nt

[me b zola]

6. Giving this story another chance to be read