Crowd Sourcing for ALL Our Voices

Back in December, it was confirmed that I would presenting a breakout workshop at the New York State Citizen’s Coalition for  Children on the birthmother perspective.

The official write up on the NYSCCC brochure says this:

Conversations with Birth Parents: The Birth Parent Perspective

A frank and honest discussion from the birth parent’s point of view – realities vs. stereotypes, myths, beliefs; and how to improve pre and post placement support.

The audience, I am told, is more mixed with parents who have adopted internationally, domestically and from care; and agency staff; and state staff. I was also told that “We hear people talking about their perceptions of birth parents perspectives, but seldom hear from them directly,” so  I am going to assume that for some, they have never heard a real live birthmother speak openly about her experiences! So I am pretty excited to have this opportunity and I even have a whole 80 minutes to say it in!

Anyway, I do want to avoid this presentation being another version of “The World According to Claud”. It’s not about MY voice or MY story or what I think, but what we ALL have to say.  So I would like to invite you to help me shape this presentation.

Help Shape OUR  Birthmother Presentation

I am thinking to kind of “walk” though a typical “adoption timeline” of a mom finding out she is PG, thinking about adoption, her relationship with the agency, what the agency teaches her, what they do and do not prepare her for, what she wishes should have happened, what reality was like after and how she was failed.

In my head, I am telling the story, presenting facts and research that supports what I am saying, with actual quotes by YOU ALL showing  on the screen.  I would very much to have some  really good images of moms that can help break apart every possible stereotype and open that door to get them thinking more.  Even if it turns out that maybe there are only six stories that get highlighted, at least it’s not just mine.  So like I always say, your voices will give my presentation WAY more credibility.

 Think of it Like Trigger Prompts!

So I have below a form/ questionnaire / survey thingy that is basically outlining the presentation idea.   I don’t need complete soup to nuts stories, but I am looking for phrases that will be able to stand alone as strong quotes.  So think like 40 words at a time? Less is fine if it can get the meat of the subject.   On some of them I directly  say what I am looking for.  Blatant fishing, but if YOUR words do not match up what I have in my head, then we are not going with my imagination.

Now I do think that the voices of the more “modern” now birthmothers will be more effective for this presentation just because if we go back to far, then the dismissal is ” adoption is different now”. However, I will NOT tell anyone that they cannot contribute and a good quote that is moving will make it no matter what.  But I will conceded that probably adoptions that happened in the last 20 years are better for this audience.

Now I warn you. There is  LOT of questions, so it will take some time especially if you want to craft fine words!  But please do NOT feel that you have to answer EVERY QUESTION. Don’t. Only answer the ones that you feel compelled to or make sense.  Think of them as writing prompts that you can choose at will.

Also, I am completely rushing on this, so there WILL be typos.  Please just deal.  The form is not scientific or official or anything PC or like that. It’s literally me rushing though as fast as I can because I have to be DONE on the 9th! But I need YOUR voice first.

 5/5/15_ Shutting this down now. THANK YOU! I have TONS of material now for this presentation. Just saved over 250 pages of raw truths.