TITLE: Siblings of Adoptees

DESCRIPTION

Siblings of Adoptees is the first of our 2025 We the Experts Non-Adoptee Speaker Series. Sibling relationships are complex already. Add adoption into the mix, and these relationships become even more unique and nuanced. Join us as we listen and learn from panelists who will share their experiences of growing up with siblings who are adoptees, and the complexity, connection, and understanding that these relationships can bring.

Topics of discussion will include:

• Growing up, how did your family structure affect your relationships with your adopted sibling? How does your relationship with an adoptee sibling influence your view of adoption? 

• What are some ways that you and your sibling have supported each other on your own personal journeys? 

• What is something you wish more people knew about this unique sibling relationship?

PANELISTS

Brett Brewer (he/his)

Brett Brewer is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Crosscut, with a proven track record of building, operating, and selling successful companies. As a passionate angel investor, he thrives on mentoring and supporting startups. Brett serves on the boards of Alliance and After School All Stars, advancing after-school programs for thousands of students and has also founded LA Tech Cares, providing internet access to Alliance Scholars during the Covid-19 pandemic.  A sought-after speaker, Brett has shared insights at events like Sydney's Social-Con and Goldman Sachs Internet Conference. His contributions earned him accolades, including the Frank E. Baxter Heroes Award.  Brett is excited to share his unique perspective as the proud sibling of an adoptee while remaining eager to learn from others' stories.

Avonlea Shea Martin (she/her)

Avonlea was born in Santa Rosa, California. She is a singer, songwriter, musician, producer and vocal/songwriting coach. Avonlea is one of five siblings and is a biological child of her parents. She has two siblings that are transracially adopted. One sibling is through kinship adoption and her other sibling through international adoption. Avonlea is excited and hoping to gain deeper insights on the experience of being a transracialized, biological sibling. She has not yet had the language to voice this experience and looks forward to gaining knowledge and relating to siblings of adoptees.

Robert VanderPol II (he/him)

Bob2 was born in Minnesota on what is now the second worst birthday of the year (9/11). Three siblings were adopted by age 9, one of whom drowned. Just after Bob turned 9, his family moved overseas as missionaries for 3 of the next 4 years. While overseas, another sibling was adopted. After returning to the US, Bob did not fit in because he had missed so much US culture, had been exposed to other cultures and ways of thought at odds with his classmates' experiences, and attended schools so small that there was little opportunity to encounter other similar outcasts. In college he learned how to make friends, learned to sail, and became an engineer. Afterwards he continued sailing, got a career as a construction inspector, married, divorced, moved to California, got married again and had kids. He is estranged from one brother, indifferent to the other, and assists his cherished sister in managing their mother's final years with dementia.  And he still sails. He is happy to be part of this panel because it is something important to his sister, the last adoptee in his family.

Sarah Etter-Hinojosa (she/her)

Sarah Etter-Hinojosa grew up in Lancaster, PA with four brothers, two of which are adopted. She works in refugee resettlement and is graduating with a Master’s degree in International Relations in May. She is excited to participate in this panel to hear the wisdom of other siblings of adoptees and to share her personal experiences. Adoption is complicated for every member of the family, but conversation and education can bring so much redemption to difficult situations. Sarah is grateful for the grace shown by her adopted siblings and passionate about how sharing personal experiences can help families find a path forward in difficult situations.

Alternate - Patrick Gieseke (he/him)

Patrick is the youngest of four siblings in his biological family. His two oldest siblings are biological to his family. Patrick also has an older sister who is an intercountry, interracial adoptee from South Korea. They grew up on a farm in a rural community in southern Minnesota. Having an interracial sibling has definitely had an influence on his views of race and racism. Patrick is a carpenter/handyman who recently moved to Portland Oregon with his wife. He was part of a siblings of adoptee panel in 2022 and enjoyed learning about the lived experiences of other siblings of adoptees as well as reflecting on his own experiences. Patrick is excited to be on this panel to hear more about the lived experiences of others who have grown up with adopted siblings.