Adoptees Crossing Lines

Raised by Auntie, Called Mom: The Complicated Truth of Kinship Adoption Episode Summary: In this episode, attorney and pro-Black adoptee Aretha Frazier shares her story of being adopted by her aunt in a kinship placement that was far from simple. From navigating family loyalty and control to confronting abuse and the myth of gratitude, Aretha opens up about what it really meant to grow up in a hou...

Surveillance, Saviors, and Screens: Media & Adoption with J Way Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira is joined by her editor, cinephile, and dear friend J Way. Together, they dive into how adoption narratives are portrayed...

Surveillance, Saviors, and Screens: Media & Adoption with J Way Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines , Zaira is joined by her editor, cinephile, and dear friend J Way. Together, they dive into how adoption narratives are portrayed in film and television, from tropes like the “grateful orphan” to more realistic depictions of systemic harm. J Way shares their experience as...

Mutual Aid as Resistance: Building Systems of Care Episode Summary: In this solo episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira dives deep into the power and necessity of mutual aid. Drawing from personal reflection, historical examples like the Black Panth...

Mutual Aid as Resistance: Building Systems of Care Episode Summary:  In this solo episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines , Zaira dives deep into the power and necessity of mutual aid. Drawing from personal reflection, historical examples like the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords, and global efforts from Sudan to Florida, this episode highlights how mutual aid has always been about survival...

Adoptee Storytelling & Film Advocacy Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira sits down with Alexandra, a British and American domestic transracial adoptee who grew up in her birth country of Hong Kong. Alexandra is the festiv...

Adoptee Storytelling & Film Advocacy Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira sits down with Alexandra, a British and American domestic transracial adoptee who grew up in her birth country of Hong Kong. Alexandra is the festival director of the Adoptee Film Fest , a global in-person and online film festival amplifying adoptee-centered films by adoptee filmmakers. They...

Root Work and Resilience: The Fight for Black Families Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira sits down with Tamara and Tracey Robertson, sisters, healers, and advocates serving as Healers in Residence with Movement for Fami...

Root Work and Resilience: The Fight for Black Families Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines , Zaira sits down with Tamara and Tracey Robertson, sisters, healers, and advocates serving as Healers in Residence with Movement for Family Power. Together, they discuss their journey of resisting the harms of the family policing system, while centering Black birth traditions, ancest...

Adoption, Privilege, and the Stories We Tell w/ Patrick Armstrong Episode Summary: In this episode, we explore the complexities of adoption, privilege, and the narratives that shape our understanding of family. Through personal stories and critical ref...

Adoption, Privilege, and the Stories We Tell w/ Patrick Armstrong Episode Summary: In this episode, we explore the complexities of adoption, privilege, and the narratives that shape our understanding of family. Through personal stories and critical reflections, we unpack the ways in which adoption is often framed as an unquestionable good while overlooking the systemic issues at play. We discuss t...

Annalisa Toccara-Jones on Digital Resistance, Colonial Legacies, and Telling the Truth About Adoption Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira is joined by Annalisa Toccara-Jones, a UK-based producer, communication strategist,...

Annalisa Toccara-Jones on Digital Resistance, Colonial Legacies, and Telling the Truth About Adoption Episode Summary: In this episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines , Zaira is joined by Annalisa Toccara-Jones, a UK-based producer, communication strategist, and doctoral researcher in journalism. Together, they explore the intersections of adoption, colonialism, race, and digital community. Annalisa sh...

Reflections on Grief, Healing, and Honoring My Mom Episode Summary: In this solo episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines, Zaira reflects on 2024—one of the most difficult years yet. With raw honesty, she speaks about the grief of losing a mother too soon, t...

Reflections on Grief, Healing, and Honoring My Mom Episode Summary: In this solo episode of Adoptees Crossing Lines , Zaira reflects on 2024—one of the most difficult years yet. With raw honesty, she speaks about the grief of losing a mother too soon, the journey of reclaiming memory and identity, and what it means to move through life in the aftermath of family separation. This episode is for any...

The Role of Legal Advocacy in Family Reunification w/ Keshia Adeniyi Episode Summary: The child welfare system is waging war on Black families, and Keshia Adeniyi-Dorsey is on the front lines. In this episode, she shares her journey from foster child t...

The Role of Legal Advocacy in Family Reunification w/ Keshia Adeniyi Episode Summary:  The child welfare system is waging war on Black families, and Keshia Adeniyi-Dorsey is on the front lines. In this episode, she shares her journey from foster child to family defender, exposing the racist roots of CPS and the urgent need for change. Keisha breaks down her tactics for protecting families dur...

Exploring Abolition, Intergenerational Trauma, and Creative Resistance w/ Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez Episode Summary: Words matter. Especially when it comes to adoption. Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sanchez isn't just "adopted" - they were separated ...

Exploring Abolition, Intergenerational Trauma, and Creative Resistance w/ Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez Episode Summary: Words matter. Especially when it comes to adoption. Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sanchez isn't just "adopted" - they were separated from their first family for 28 years. In this episode, we unpack how the language we use shapes our understanding of adoption. Benjamin shares their...

Unpacking Adoption w/ Henry: Identity, Community, and Healing Episode Summary: What happens when a Black child is adopted into a white Mormon family? The Mormon church silenced Henry's identity as a Black transracial adoptee, but he's done being quiet....

Unpacking Adoption w/ Henry: Identity, Community, and Healing Episode Summary: What happens when a Black child is adopted into a white Mormon family? The Mormon church silenced Henry's identity as a Black transracial adoptee, but he's done being quiet. From "colorblind" racism to the weight of forced gratitude, he exposes the ugly truth behind his adoption. We explore the impact of media represent...

Adoption, Therapy, and Self-Discovery: Fai Knudson's Story Episode Summary: Fai Knudson grew up in a white, conservative town, always feeling different. As a biracial, transracial adoptee, Faye faced racism and isolation. Leaving their hometown ignited...

Adoption, Therapy, and Self-Discovery: Fai Knudson's Story Episode Summary:  Fai Knudson grew up in a white, conservative town, always feeling different. As a biracial, transracial adoptee, Faye faced racism and isolation. Leaving their hometown ignited a journey of self-discovery, leading to advocacy and therapy focused on adoptee mental health. In this episode, Fai shares their powerful sto...

Finding Freedom: Reflections on One Year of No Contact Episode Summary: It's been 365 days since I cut ties with my adopters to protect myself. A year of healing, self-discovery, and finding my voice. In this episode, I share my no contact journey, the...

Finding Freedom: Reflections on One Year of No Contact Episode Summary: It's been 365 days since I cut ties with my adopters to protect myself. A year of healing, self-discovery, and finding my voice.  In this episode, I share my no contact journey, the reasons behind my decision, the process of healing, and the freedom I’ve found. Hear my story of setting boundaries, seeking safety, and recl...