Grab a snack and favorite beverage, turn on your computer, and sit back to enjoy a beautiful hour of BIPOC adoptee voices, community, and Palestinian solidarity.
- Date: Sunday, October 26th
- Time: 3-4pm PST / 6–7pm EST
- Cost: Minimum $5
- Format: Virtual
The Zoom link will be sent a day or two before the event; closed captions will be enabled. This will NOT be recorded or distributed.
AUTHORS
Ryan Jafar Artes (he/she/they) is a community organizer and poet. Ryan writes from their perspective as a transracial transnational South Asian Indian American adoptee. Ryan’s work is published by Capturing Fire Press, Moonstone Arts Center, Panorama Journal, Prometheus Dreaming, Querencia Press, Split This Rock, and upEND Movement, who awarded Ryan as Grand Prize Winner for Poetry of the inaugural Dream, Create, Liberate: A Future Without Family Policing contest. Ryan is the founder and host of The Adoptee Open Mic, a poetry-focused open mic for Black and Brown adoptees. As an abolitionist, Ryan understands building towards new futures is as important as dismantling systems and structures of oppression. linktr.ee/ryanartes
Mila C.C. Konomos (she/they) is a queer, asexual Korean adoption survivor, poet, artist, abolitionist, and decolonial coach. She imagines a world where we are all liberated and empowered to unapologetically love, cultivate, and uplift one another and our communities. Their work and advocacy have been featured in numerous publications, podcasts, news media, and exhibits in collaboration with the Center for Civil and Human Rights, Al Jazeera, Asian American Advocacy Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Korean American Story. She lives on Muscogee Creek Land with her partner and two children.
Katelyn Durst Rivas (she/they) is a poet, essayist, researcher, teaching artist, cultural organizer and mother who examines themes of Black girlhood, transracial adoption, motherhood, abolition and care for Black bodies through their creative work. In their cultural organizing and arts administrative work, Katelyn has worked in arts-based civic engagement, arts for community transformation and creative youth programming for over 15 years.She completed an MA from Eastern University in Urban Studies and Community Arts and has a BA in English and Writing and Art and Design from Northern Michigan University. In 2019, she published the chapbook “Radical Self-Care for Black Women” and founded the Detroit chapter of The Free Black Women’s Library. Their work has been featured in Michigan Quarterly, Khöra, Tayo Literary Magazine and others. Katelyn is currently at work on a memoir that is about their experience as a transracial adoptee composing their own definition of Blackness where she weaves personal and political narratives through braided essays that combine prose, verse and Black Feminist reproductive rights issues. When not writing she can be found adventuring with her daughter, laughing with friends and dreaming up a prairie garden.
***You can buy their books at the BIPOC Adoptees online bookshop.***
MEET THE FAMILIES
Tamara Abu Dayer and the Abu Dayer Family: The Abu Dayers are from Jabalia, a densely populated refugee camp in northern Gaza that has been destroyed. They have been displaced numerous times during the genocide, and thier large family has been separated to various locations. Over the past year, Tamara has become one of our closest dearest friends. To learn more about Tamara and life under occupation, here is a zine that Lisa MM Butler made to illustrate Tamara’s experience. Also, read Joon Ae’s essay, “A Debt of Gratitude” that connects Korean adoption to Palestine. Click HERE for her main fundraising page and consider setting up automatic monthly donations for sustained support.
Alaa Abu Shammalh is also from Jabalia. Alaa is Tamara’s brother-in-law, married to her oldest sister, Mandi. Alaa was separated from his pregnant wife and young son when they were medically evacuated out of Gaza just before Israel closed the Rafah border well over a year ago. He has never met his youngest son, who was born in October. Alaa has been displaced over and over. He needs money to survive, and has depleted his fundraising account that was intended to be for reuniting with his family. Learn more about Alaa at his GoFundMe page.
Nida was a 23-year-old student - about to complete her degree in computer engineering - when her home was bombed. A home she shared with her parents and 6 younger siblings. After the bombing, Nida's father was taken hostage by the Israeli occupation and has yet to be heard from or released. Nida's mother suffers from chronic health conditions - made worse by the occupation's denial of food and medication in Gaza. Nida promised her father she would care for her siblings and she carries this burden alone. Her family relies on the support of others outside of Gaza to survive. Check out this cartoon that Lisa made to help amplify Nida’s story! Here is Nida’s main fundraiser page.
SAVE THESE DATES
We have a whole line up of great authors for you, including folks like: KE Garland, Nicole Chung, Melissa Guida-Richards, Cam Lee Small, Mila Konomos, Katelyn Durst Rivas, Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom, Cam McCafferty, Michael Hoyt, Alice Stephens, Kit Myers, and more! (All the following events take place online from 3-4pm PST/6-7 EST)
- Sun, November 30
- Sun, January 25
- Sun, February 22
- Sun, March 29
HOSTS
Joon Ae Haworth-Kaufka and Lisa MM Butler
Contact Joon Ae with questions at joonae@ajumamaworkshop.com