
Michigan Adoptee News
What’s New at AAOM!

A Tribute to Rob Rau.
We lost a beloved member December 12th, 2024 and we at Adoptee Advocates of Michigan would like to recognize his years of advocacy in adoptee rights. as well as his faithful service to the Michigan community. We were honored to work with him.

Q&A Event: US Citizenship and Immigration Issues for Intercountry Adoptees
We had a great attendance this past week at the Q&A Event. If you were not able to attend, but need assistance, please visit Adoptees United’s Legal Resource page.

AAOM is on Bluesky!
We are now on Blue Sky! Come follow us!!!

Detroit Public Library Hosted Michigan Adoptees
The Detroit Public Library hosted Michigan adoptees on October 19th for a special premiere viewing of Tiana Hawver’s documentary “Reconnecting the Dots.”

AAOM Welcomes Katie to the Board.
Katie is an international adoptee from Colombia who grew up in the Ann Arbor area. She is a Psychiatric Care Worker for a large medical facility in Michigan, and frequently works with adopted youth in crisis and educates families about adoption trauma to help them gain a broader understanding of the adoptee experience. Katie is also a Certified Life Coach and has been active in the Colombian adoptee community for 25 years. She has been searching for her own biological family for more than three decades and helps other South American adoptees by using the skills she has learned through that journey. Katie has two children and enjoys being in the sun, dancing, music and reading in her free time. She is eager to help AAOM grow into a community well suited to adoptees in our state and grow our collaborative efforts with birth parents, adoptive parents and other allies in our collective voice.

The Adoptee Files: AAOM Board Members Invited To Their First Podcast.
AAOM Board Members get interviewed on “The Adoption Files” podcast by Ande Stanley.

October AAOM Member of the Month is Pamela Lynn.
Pamela Lynn, October’s AAOM Member of the Month.

It Could Happen To Any Adoptee.
Michigan adoptees respond to the Netflix documentary about Michigan adoptee and the mother who searched for her, released on September 12, 2024.

Frontline and The Associated Press Release ‘South Korea's Adoption Reckoning.’
FRONTLINE and The AP examine fraud and abuse allegations in South Korea’s historic foreign adoption boom and Michigan adoptees approve. Link to view this film in full.

AAOM Awarded the Adoptees for Awareness Grant.
AAOM Awarded the Adoptees for Awareness Grant September 12, 2024.

Michigan Adoptees Advocate at the Ann Arbor Art Fair and the Blue Water Street Fair.
Adoptee Advocates of Michigan educate the public in Ann Arbor and Port Huron about how Michigan adoptees, both domestic and international, lack the same rights as non-adopted people.

Michigan Adoptees Advocate in Trenton at the Downtown Summer Festival.
Adoptees advocate for their rights at the Trenton Downtown Summer Festival - because adoptee rights are human rights, and we do not have the same rights as non-adopted citizens in Michigan.

Adoptee Rights come to the Grand Rapids Asian & Pacific Festival.
Adoptee Advocates of Michigan was at the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival advocating for the rights of international and domestic adopted people.

AAOM Participates in the Adoptee Rights National Week of Action

AAOM Gets a New Board Member.
We are so excited to welcome Anna Thompson to the AAOM Board. She brings with her the knowledge, skills and experience we have been searching for to help create the thriving diverse organization we all have envisioned for the Michigan adoptee community. We look forward to working more with her and supporting her efforts on behalf of the Michigan adoptee population.

We Started an Advocacy Go Fund Me!
We have alot happening at AAOM, and some of it takes money. We are a grass-roots, volunteer organization and we could use your help to keep it all going. We have big plans for our advocacy efforts this summer, and would love your help!

Michigan Adoptees are Now on Meet Up!
We didn’t forget you Central Michigan, you now have a group too! We had so much fun advocating together in Lansing we decided we needed more opportunities to connect with each other, and maybe more adoptees too! Find us on MeetUp. Links are provided in the write up.

The Michigan Adoptee Rights Coalition Pauses Support for HB5148/49.
See You Later Bill! The Michgan Adoptee Rights Coalition Pauses Support for HB5148/49. Sometimes it is just better to walk away.

HB5148/49 Passes the House 99/8!
HB5148/49 passed the house, and it was a wild ride. Now it moves on to the Senate!

Michigan Adoptees Pursue Equal Rights.
Adopee Advocates of Michigan is a core partner of the Michigan Adoptee Rights Coaltion, who is pursing equality for adoptees in obtaining their original birth certificates from the state.