280 - Shifting the Narrative Around Adoption and Centering Adoptees Voices with Counselor Cam Lee Small

Be the Bridge Podcast with Latasha Morrison

Be the Bridge

Education

4.9 • 774 Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2023

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Counselor, Author, and Speaker Cam Lee Small joins Latasha Morrison on the Be the Bridge Podcast during National Adoption Month to help shift the culture and church’s narrative surrounding adoption. As a transracial adoptee himself, Cam brings his lived experience and his professional work to this conversation.

They discuss the tension of being connected to two places, the necessity of centering adoptees’ voices and stories, and ways to honor heritages and birth families. They also dive into the importance of celebrating and submitting to leadership that is not centered on whiteness, as well as the need to reframe the language around adoption so that it is not compared to the gospel.

Cam generously shares some of his own journey of self discovery with the Be the Bridge community. And he encourages adoptees to have a community to be able to express their feelings. Everyone will leave this episode with more empathy, understanding, and language.

Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison

Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown

Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios

Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Quotes:

“I was a son before I was adopted”. -Cam Lee Small

“This work can't start when you adopt. The work has to start prior to that.” -Latasha Morrison

“Let's not have the adoptive parent be the first one to jump on stage and teach us about the adoptee journey. Let's ask adoptees about that.” -Cam Lee Small

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Resources Mentioned:

Be the Bridge TRA Academy Course

Bellis

The Inclusive Family Support Model

Connect with Cam Lee Small:

Connect with Be the Bridge:

Connect with Latasha Morrison:

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the Be The Bridge podcast with Latasha Morrison.
0:06.1	What are you guys doing today?
0:08.7	It's exciting.
0:09.5	Each week, Be The Bridge podcast tackles subjects related to race and culture with the goal of bringing understanding.
0:17.0	But I'm going to do it in the spirit of love.
0:19.5	We believe understanding can move us toward racial healing, racial equity, and racial unity.
0:25.1	Latasha Morrison is the founder of Be the Bridge,
0:28.2	which is an organization responding to racial brokenness and systemic injustice in our world.
0:34.0	This podcast is an extension of our vision to make sure people are no longer conditioned by a racialized society but grounded in truth.
0:42.2	If you have not hit the subscribe button, please do so now.
0:45.6	Without further ado, let's begin today's podcast.
0:48.9	Oh, and stick around for some important information at the end.
0:54.3	Well, be the British community, I am so excited.
0:58.0	Like I always say, I'm always excited to have another extraordinary guest to bring before the
1:04.3	Be the Bridge community.
1:05.9	He's someone that has worked with Be the Bridge in the past and helping create our TRA, which is our transracial
1:15.6	adoption resources that we have that we do through Be the Bridge because a lot of our community,
1:23.4	those of you who are listening, either you have adopted transracially.
1:28.3	And then we have a lot of people who are adoptees of that are a part of the community that we have here.
1:35.9	And so our very own Jade is a part of that and so many others.
1:40.1	And so we have Kim Lee Small.
1:46.1	Kim's personal experience as an international adoptee from Korea informs and inspires his current professional work.
	...

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