GirlsAdoptionConnect

Connect

meet adoptees from across the world

Instagram

Chat

Contribute

Follow

23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

What you need to know about the 23andMe sale.

•••
Accessibility: Post text online at Girls Adoption Connect’s website and in alt text.

#adoption#adoptions#adopt#adopts#adoptee#adoptees#adoptive#adoptionstory#adoptionstories#adopteestories#adoptionjourney#transracialadoption#transracialadopteee#internationaladoption#adoptedchild#chinaadoption#adopted#dna#dnatest#dnatesting#23andme#biological#dnagenetics#genetic#genetictesting#genetictest

Hello! My name is Liba Mott. I don’t know much about where I come from, besides being born in Fuzhou, China. I was adopted when I was a few months old (I don’t know the precise date), and I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago as a Jewish Chinese adoptee.

Growing up, it was hard to figure out who I was. I was struggling to balance Judaism, being Asian, and being an adoptee at the same time. I attended a Jewish private school most of my life, where I was always the odd one out. It was hard for me to make friends and accept my ethnicity because of my surroundings. I struggled with accepting my identity to the point where I started to wish I weren’t Asian.

In the Jewish world, it is typically customary to take a year off in Israel and then attend a Jewish college. As soon as I hit high school, I decided to go straight to a public college to connect with Asian people like me and figure out who I was.

I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for two years, but did not think it was the right choice for me. I then switched to Oakton Community College and am happy with the decision I made. I currently attend Oakton, where I’m studying Fine and Applied Arts to earn a bachelor’s in Art Education.

Although I felt like I didn’t fit in at my Jewish school and UIUC, I was still able to make friends and accept who I am. It might have taken me a while, but I am very blessed with the friends and family I have now. I am supported, understood, and loved. I hope one day I can visit China and explore my roots. I also hope to dig up more about where I come from and start the search for who my birth parents might be. I understand that it is a long and emotional process, but I have my friends and family to guide me along the way.

•••
Accessibility: Image description in comments and alt text.

#adopted#adoptee#adoptees#adopt#adopts#adoption#adoptions#adoptionstory#adoptionstories#adopteestories#transracialadoptee#transracialadoption#internationaladoption#adoptionjourney#adoptioncommunity#adoptedchild#chinaadoption#china#chicago#fuzhou#uiuc#adoptionawareness

Téa, from @girls.adoption.connect, and Julia, from @unavision_diferente, discuss the importance of reflecting and researching adoptee DNA testing in light of the recent 23&me bankruptcy filing.

Note: This is not an endorsement for deletion of data from 23andMe’s platform.

•••

#adoption#adoptee#adoptions#adopts#adoptees#adopt#transracialadoption#transracialadoptee#internationaladoption#adoptionstory#adoptionstories#adopteestories#adoptioncommunity#adoptionadvocacy#dna#dnatesting#dnagenetics#genetics#genetictesting#china#chinaadoption#23andme#ancestory

When my parents were traveling to China to adopt me in 2005, they used Lotus Travel to help them plan. Almost 20 years later, I’m honored to be able to help share their work in helping adoptees’ connect with their culture.
— Téa Tamburo, Girls Adoption Connect founder

•••
Accessibility: Post text in comments and alt text.

#adoption#adoptee#adoptees#adopt#adopts#adoptions#transracialadoptee#transracialadoption#internationaladoption#adoptionstory#adoptionstories#adopteestories#adoptionjourney#adopteevoices#adoptioncommunity#china#chinaadoption#heritage

Post length exceeds length permitted. Continued in comments.
•••
Hi, my name is Alaina, and I am 19 years old. My Chinese name is 包凯 (Bāo kǎi). I was adopted from the Fuling District in central Chongqing, China at 13 months old, and I now split my time between Davis and Sacramento, California.

Growing up as a Chinese adoptee has been a journey of navigating between two worlds. In a predominantly white community, I often felt like I didn’t quite fit in. Despite the unwavering support and love from my friends and family, I struggled with the feeling of being caught between two cultures — too American to fully connect with my Asian heritage and too Asian to feel completely at ease within American culture. This internal conflict made it challenging to understand my sense of identity and belonging.

My family, though supportive, had no Chinese background, and I wasn’t exposed to much of my heritage growing up. This lack of cultural connection often left me feeling disconnected from my roots. During middle and high school, I distanced myself from my Chinese heritage in an effort to fit in with my peers, which only deepened my sense of isolation.

It wasn’t until I started college that I began to embrace and reconnect with my cultural background. Sharing my journey as an adoptee and rediscovering my heritage has been a meaningful and empowering experience. I am currently a Biology student at the University of California, Davis. My passion for science and discovery drives me, and I am excited about the future opportunities in my field. Outside of academics, I’ve spent over a decade swimming — something I’ve loved doing for as long as I can remember. I also enjoy repairing bikes, which is a fun way to blend my interest in mechanics with a bit of creativity.
•••
Continued in comments

Image description in comments and alt text.

#adopted#adopt#adopts#adoptee#adoptees#adoption#adoptions#adoptionstories#adoptionstory#adoptionjourney#adoptioncommunity#transracialadoption#transracialadoptee#internationaladoption#china#adoptedchild#chinaadoption#shareyourstory#adopteevoices#adopteestories#adopteemovement#adopteesspeak#chongqing#china

The past year has been a turbulent one for the Asian adopted community. We connected with fellow adoptees when China ended international adoptions, educated the wider community about Korean adoption history, and continued raising awareness about DNA testing and the Asian American experience. Through all of this, I’ve had the utmost privilege of hosting this page to raise awareness and amplify our collective voices as adoptees.

Over the past year, it’s been a joy to be a part of uniting and advocating for the adopted community. To everyone who have been supportive along the way: thank you for the opportunity to share my story as an adoptee and for the privilege of amplifying and advocating for adoptees’ voices the past four and a half years. While complex, it was an honor and one of the highlights of my year to share responses from adoption agencies in September and seek answers for us all regarding the end to Chinese international adoption. When I started this community in 2020, I never imagined we’d be where we are. As we progress into the new year, more adoptees’ spotlights and adoption content will be forthcoming. Cheers to 2024!

With love,
Téa Tamburo, Girls Adoption Connect founder

•••
Accessibility: Image descriptions in connects and alt text.

#2025#newyear#happynewyear#newyear2025#20242#2025goals#adoptee#adoptees#adoption#adoptions#adopt#adopts#adoptionadvocacy#transracialadoption#transracialadoptee#internationaladoption#adoptionstory#adoptionstories#adopteestories#adoptionjourney#adoptedchild#adoptioncommunity#adoptionawareness#adopteevoices#adopteemovement

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

What you need to know about the 23andMe sale Slide Text Slide one: 23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron. What you need to know about the...

Jun 8

A collage featuring Liba Mott with a soft pink background. At the top left, her name “Liba Mott” is written in elegant blue script. Four photos are arranged on the page. Top left: Liba stands in a white graduation gown holding a bouquet of flowers under a balloon arch in blue and white. Rows of white chairs and a stage are set up behind her on a green lawn. Top right: Liba sits on steps in a city at night, wearing a white sweater and black pants. Twinkling lights in nearby trees and tall buildings provide a festive, urban background. Bottom left: A baby photo of Liba being held by a woman outdoors, surrounded by greenery. Bottom right: Liba stands on a beach with the Golden Gate Bridge faintly visible in the background. She is holding a turquoise sweatshirt and smiling at the camera. At the bottom of the collage, text reads: “Fuzhou, China to Chicago, Illinois”.

Adoptee spotlight: Liba Mott

Fuzhou, China --> Chicago, Illinois Hello! My name is Liba Mott. I don’t know much about where I come from, besides being born in Fuzhou,...

Jun 3

Discussing DNA testing amid 23andMe's bankruptcy filing

Téa, from Girls Adoption Connect, and Julia, f rom Una Visión Diferente , discuss the importance of reflecting and researching adoptee...

Apr 10

Lotus Travel's adoptee heritage survey

When my parents were traveling to China to adopt me from in 2005, they used Lotus Travel to help them plan their travel. Almost 20 years...

Apr 8

Adoptee spotlight: Alaina

Chongqing, China --> Davis & Sacramento, California Hi, my name is Alaina, and I am 19 years old. My Chinese name is 包凯 (Bāo kǎi). I was...

Jan 5

Cheers to 2025!

Wishing you a happy new year from Girls Adoption Connect! The past year has been a turbulent one for the Asian adopted community. We...

Jan 1

Share Your Story

You’re invited to share your adoption story, reflect on how adoption has shaped your life, or express your thoughts about your adoption journey.

Submissions are welcome through the contribution form. Girls Adoption Connect values every voice and looks forward to hearing from you!

Our Stories

Adoptee spotlight: Sonoma

Gansu, China -> Colorado, United States In June 2005, I was adopted from the Gansu province, in China, at a year old. My name changed...

Adoptee spotlight: Sophie

Guilin, Guangxi China --> Illinois, United States Hi, I’m Sophie, I am from Guilin, Guangxi China and I was adopted in 2006, when I was...

Adoptee spotlight: Jenna Lee Kim

Korea --> Pennsylvania, United States My name is Jenna Lee Kim, and I'm a transracial, transnational Korean adoptee who grew up in rural...

Adoptee spotlight: Sydney

Jiangxi, China --> Detroit, Michigan Hi everyone! My name is Sydney. I'm from Yihuang County in the Jiangxi province of China and was...

Unpacking Our Adoption

Discussing DNA testing amid 23andMe's bankruptcy filing

Téa, from Girls Adoption Connect, and Julia, f rom Una Visión Diferente , discuss the importance of reflecting and researching adoptee...

Thinking about my Finding Day 20 years later

By: Téa Tamburo I watched the clock change to midnight. It’s now Nov. 29, and my 20th birthday is officially over. Now, it’s the 20th...

Adoption Awareness

23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

What you need to know about the 23andMe sale Slide Text Slide one: 23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron. What you need to know about the...

The Cradle’s responses to China ending international adoption

Response obtained from an email interview between Girls Adoption Connect and leadership from The Cradle. Responses have been lightly...

Connect

Follow

​

23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Adoptee spotlight: Liba Mott

Discussing DNA testing amid 23andMe's bankruptcy filing

Lotus Travel's adoptee heritage survey

Adoptee spotlight: Alaina

Cheers to 2025!

Share Your Story

Our Stories

Adoptee spotlight: Sonoma

Adoptee spotlight: Sophie

Adoptee spotlight: Jenna Lee Kim

Adoptee spotlight: Sydney

Unpacking Our Adoption

Discussing DNA testing amid 23andMe's bankruptcy filing

Thinking about my Finding Day 20 years later

Adoption Awareness

23andMe to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

The Cradle’s responses to China ending international adoption