TITLE: Adoptees & Foster Care

DESCRIPTION

Foster care is an integral part of the adoption system in many countries. People who have experienced these systems as children are returning as adults to advocate for change and reform. Join us as we speak with four individuals who will share with you their lived experiences of the foster care system and who are also working to change the foster care system by:

Developing new services through technology
Sharing individual stories to give insight and power change
Advocating for awareness and reform

PANELISTS

Brittany Nash (she/her) is a Black domestic transracial adoptee and the founder of The Daily Adoptee blog and soon to be online publication that highlights the experience and expertise of transracial adoptees. Brittany is excited to be on this panel because of her experience of navigating being a transracial adoptee and foster alum, but also as a caregiver to a child impacted by the foster care system.

Marci Purcell (she/her/hers) is an adoptee and foster care alum born and raised in NJ. Her advocacy efforts include adoption and foster care records access and the related intersection of disability issues. Marci is the Executive Director at Adoption Knowledge Affiliates and former president of Support Texas Adoptee Rights. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in addition to several mental health certifications. She currently resides in Austin, TX. Marci is looking forward to discussing how an adoptee's time in foster care can add a unique set of challenges related to identity development, family dynamics, and relationship formation.

Debbie Nahid is an Iranian Kuwaiti. Debbie was born in London after her birth mother arrived in England when she was eight months pregnant; escaping a potential honour killing by her family. Debbie was left in the maternity hospital and was placed in foster care. She is also a late discovery adoptee, learning the truth at age sixteen. Debbie spent her life in search of her biological family and wants to share her story to help remove the shame and to help others understand. Debbie is excited to be on this panel because she loves to share her experiences with others.

Sixto Cancel (he/his) is the Founder and CEO of Think of Us (TOU). TOU is an Action Tank driving systematic change in child welfare. He was named as Forbes Top 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs and is on the 2021 Forbes Under30 Lister Board. He has been recognized by the White House as a “Champion of Change,” a “Millennial Maker” by BET, and named “Top 24 Changemakers in Government under 24” by the Campaign for Presidential Youth Council. Sixto and his team are working to ensure that every person has the conditions they need to heal, develop and thrive. Sixto entered foster care at 11 months old before being adopted at the age of 9. That adoption was not a safe home for Sixto so he was couch surfing from the age of 13-15 years old and re-entered the foster care system, and then aged out. Sixto's personal experience has been the driving force for the work he is doing at Think of Us. Sixto is honored to be a part of this panel to discuss centering those with lived experience in every aspect of his work.