Ep 56: Angela Tucker ~ Adoptee Mentoring Society

Episode Summary: In this episode of Fostering Conversations, hosts Amy Smith and Liz Rivera sit down with Angela Tucker, adoptee advocate, mentor, and founder of the Adoptee Mentorship Program. Angela shares her journey from being adopted out of foster care to building a global community for adoptees to connect, heal, and grow.

They discuss:

• Angela’s experience growing up in a multiracial family.
• The challenges of identity and belonging in adoption.
• How the Adoptee Mentorship Program is creating spaces for adoptees to connect and find support.
• The power of storytelling and mentorship in navigating adoption experiences.
• Practical tips for adoptive parents to support their children better.

Angela also offers valuable insights into racial identity in transracial adoption and the importance of building inclusive family networks. Whether you’re an adoptee, an adoptive parent, or just curious about the adoptee experience, this conversation is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned:

• Angela Tucker’s website: AngelaTucker.com
• Follow Angela on Instagram: @AngieAdoptee
• Watch the documentary Closure on Angela’s website.
• Read Angela’s book “You should be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption”
• Learn about the Adoptee Mentorship Program and Adoptee Remembrance Day.
• Explore Angela’s workshop: “Cultivating an Anti-Racist Family Network for Transracial Caregivers.”

Memorable Quotes:

• “There’s something healing about talking to someone who just gets it.” – Angela Tucker
• “We don’t just mentor kids. Adoptees at any age need spaces of belonging.” – Angela Tucker
• “Love is already there, but behaviors show you understand who we are.” – Angela Tucker

Angela Tucker Bio~

Angela Tucker is a Black transracial adoptee. She is the author of “You Should Be Grateful:” Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption. Her book was published in April 2023 by Beacon Press. Angela’s search for her biological family is featured in the documentary CLOSURE which premiered on Netflix in 2015. In 2022, Angela founded the non-profit, the Adoptee Mentoring Society to provide virtual mentorship for adoptees world-wide. With 15 years in child welfare, she has appeared on CNN, The Red Table Talk, The New Yorker, and more, advocating for adoptees.

Angela lives in Seattle with her Emmy-award-winning spouse, Bryan Tucker.

Ep 56 transcript