Maria: The Long Road to Knowing
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Maria was adopted at four months old and grew up feeling distinctly different from her adoptive family, always questioning her origins and searching for more than the brief explanation she was given as a child. After years of determined searching in the pre-internet era, she eventually pieced together her story — answers that eased some of her anxiety — and now dedicates time to exploring how adoption has shaped her life while living in the Bay Area near her children and grandchildren.
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee Stories
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (pscrb.fm) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Maria was born and raised in the SF Bay Area in a hippie town full of diversity and freedom. Her journey began in a temporary foster home until she was adopted at about four months old from the Children's Home Society to parents who already had three older kids, all boys. Her adoptive parents divorced when she was three, but co-parented as best they could. She had a lifelong interest in her creation story, specifically why her olive skin was so different from her adoptive brothers. She always felt distinctly different. When she was seven, her father gave her the "adoption" speech, "we chose you, you're not biologically ours, etc.. It never felt like enough information. Her search took many twists and turns, considering it was before the internet, so the journey was a bit longer, but determination prevailed. She never stopped looking in every corner for clues. Many years later, she fit the puzzle together. While she still struggles with identity, the answered curiosities proved to calm some of the anxiety. She now devotes time to discovering all about adoption and how it has formed her life. Maria still resides in the Bay Area with her three adult kids and two grandkids.
Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order:
Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall
You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault
EVENTBRITE LINK - AUSTIN, TEXAS - LIVE PODCAST EVENT: 4/17 & 4/18 2206!
Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, March 7th, at 1 pm ET.
RESOURCES for Adoptees:
Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law
Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group
Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement
Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988.
Kristal Parke Because She Is Adopted
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.