C.A.S.E. is thrilled to have Beth Hall, Executive Director of Pact, An Adoption Alliance Organization in Northern California, renowned adoption expert, author, and adoptive mother join us as our keynote speaker. Beth will present an in-depth look at the significant impact that stereotypes have on identity formation for adopted youth — from a developmental perspective. How do the stereotypes and misunderstandings about adoption and the diversity of adoptive families (e.g. two parent, single parent, LGBT families, foster care, international, open, etc.) impact children’s sense of who they are in the world? If children are a different race from their parents, how do parents help them when they are confronted with racial stereotypes? In their own specific family, how do parents manage their own sense of identity in the face of stereotypes so that they can assist their children? Using recent headlines to highlight and discuss the impact of “isms” in the world (including “adoptism” – which too often goes unacknowledged or unrecognized), Beth will address how parents can help their children to incorporate into their identities the strength and confidence to advocate for themselves and respond effectively to the adversities they may encounter in their lives. We invite you to join us for what promises to be an interesting, important discussion!
Beth Hall, Co-Founder and Director of Pact, An Adoption Alliance, is the white adoptive mother of a Latina daughter and an African American son (both now young adults), and grew up with an adopted sister. Beth co-founded Pact in 1991 to combat the discrimination she witnessed against adopted children of color and their birth families. She is the co-author of Inside Transracial Adoption (Jessica Knightly Publishing, 2013). She is a nationally known advocate for adopted children of color who regularly lectures and leads workshops on ethical, non-racist adoption practices. beth@pactadopt.org
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