TITLE: Adoptee Podcast Hosts

DESCRIPTION

For many adoptees, podcasts about adoption are their first introduction to the adoptee community. Podcasts are such an accessible resource for people to learn about the adoptee experience. This discussion will feature adoptee podcast hosts and their journey in creating community, spreading awareness, and holding space to share their own stories alongside the stories of others. In this panel we might discuss:

What is the focus of your podcast? How did you come up with the name?
When did you realize that these conversations around adoption awareness were necessary?
What is the most fulfilling part of your role as a Podcast Host?
What is the most challenging part?

PANELISTS

Lanise Antoine Shelley (she/her) is an actress, director, and host of the podcast, "When They Were Young; Amplifying Voices of Adoptees." She is presently the Black Theatre Coalition AMEX Directing Fellow 2023, Lead Artist with The Mercury Store, and previously Drama League Classical Directing Fellow, Stratford Shakespeare's Chicago Fellow, and Victory Gardens Theater Directing Fellow. Her play Pretended, which centers her adoption story, was produced by Paramount Theater. Lanise received an MFA from ART/MXAT at Harvard University; BFA from Cornish College of The Arts; certificate in classical theatre from BADA in Oxford, England; a certificate in classical theatre from Birmingham Conservatory in Canada. Lanise is elated to join the robust conversations and the thriving community of Adoption Mosaic. You find Lanise at and www.laniseantoineshelley.com and @lantoines.

Nathan Nowack (he/him) is a transracial Korean adoptee, adopted from Seoul at 5 months old, and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He has one older, non-biological Korean adopted sister. For the past 3 years, Nathan has been the co-host and co-founder of the Janchi Show podcast. Along with Patrick and KJ, they interview adoptees to amplify the adoptee voice. With over 150 episodes and growing, their goal has been to help rewrite the adoptee narrative in their own voices and experiences while growing and exploring their own culture, identities, and future lives. Nathan is also on the Advisory Council for KAAN (Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network) and is one of the co-chairs for the 2024 annual conference. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and 3 kids, and only 30 minutes from his adoptive parents. Nathan hopes to share information on what prompted him to start an adoptee podcast, what he has learned over the 3 years, and why he feels it’s important to have his and other adoptee voices heard.

Heidi Marble (she/her) is a domestically adopted person who has really big dreams and the lovely team at Pulled By the Root are making them come true. Heidi and the team are determined to publish their book PULLED BY THE ROOT, develop a documentary series, and a podcast that will create a disruption in the way people think about adoption. Adoption loss is real and the issues surrounding relinquishment need to be amplified. Adoption and its practices leave deep wounds, if left untreated have far reaching consequences. Heidi’s passion is to plant a vast root system of understanding, healing and change. She is excited to be on this panel to share her adventures in adoptee podcasting.

Marcella Maslow, LCSW, RPT (she/her) is a transracial adoptee from Colombia, as well as a certified trauma therapist with a private practice in Buffalo, NY. She works with clients of all ages that have experienced trauma, and mainly works with individuals who have been adopted, spent time within the foster care system or have experienced any form of familial separation. Her specializations include early life trauma, attachment, neurobiological impacts of trauma, complex trauma, dissociation across the lifespan. She is trained and certified in modalities including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Progressive Counting, Brainspotting, Safe and Sound Protocol and is a Registered Play Therapist. She is also a trainer, consultant, educator and co-host of the podcast Adoptees Dish. She is excited to be on this panel to talk about adoptee centered podcasts and ways adoptees are sharing their lived experience.

Alternate Panelist, Robyn Park (she/her) is an intercountry, transracial adoptee of Korean descent and a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). She received her undergraduate degree in Justice and Peace Studies at the University of Saint Thomas and is a graduate of Antioch University where she received her Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology specializing in both Child Studies and Applied Community Psychology. Robyn currently practices at A Place To Be Therapy and co-hosts Labor of Love: A Podcast for BIPOC Adoptee Parents Navigating Parenthood. Robyn is excited to be in community with other podcasters and discuss the impact adoptee podcasts are having on our communities.