The Anna Jinja Show
The Anna Jinja show focuses on the stories, issues, and questions connected to adoption and foster care experiences. The host is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity. Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve. This show illuminates the theme of adoption, in all ways, in our lives. And how those experiences create who we are and who we are yet to be. Her hope is that through engaging with the guests and creative content, we are welcomed home in this world, cradled in the belief that we belong, that we are worthy, and that we are loved. So stay tuned, and you may discover your own adoption story.
Episodes
Rebecca Del Pozo's Journey from Adopted Child to Millionaire Real Estate Mom Sometimes the most beautiful stories begin with what looks like an accident. At 18, Rebecca Del Pozo applied for non-identifying information about her biological family - standard procedure for adoptees in Canada. What came back was supposed to be scrubbed of any identifying details. But someone forgot to remove one crucial piece: her biological mothe...
From Foster Care to Father of 10
Some songs are written to be heard. Others are written hoping they'll somehow travel through the airwaves to reach someone who may never know they exist.
Joe Toles wrote "Dreamin'" as the second kind - a lullaby from a boy in foster care to a mother he'd never met, hoping his voice might somehow find her across the distance and let her know he was thinking of her.
When Stories Become Data: How Two Researchers Are Uncovering the Transformative Power of Adoption Narratives
That's exactly what Dr. Melissa Rizzo and Dr. Joe Bianco are exploring in their new research project—a qualitative analysis of The Anna Jinja Show’s episodes focusing on adoption and foster care experiences.
In this episode, they discuss:
- How they're analyzing guest narratives to identify themes around i...
"Light and Shadow: Cooking Up Bright Futures for Foster Youth" It started with a simple question Tom Stevenson asked the host: "Do you remember a time when you made a dish for somebody, something really special that you were connected to? And then you shared that with someone else?" Anna Jinja told him about her love for baking: she brings chocolate chip cookies to those she asks for a favor, explaining that the...
Sometimes the most profound stories are told in the simplest words. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Boyle shares not just her adoption journey, but the raw, beautiful poem she wrote one week after meeting her birth mother for the first time.
"Reunion Day" begins: "I watched her like a silent movie and picture photograph, trying to memorize the way she spoke and the throaty way she laughs." Those words, written by a ...
From Sleepless Nights to Healing: When Adoption Parenting Feels Impossible "It's a very isolating life. You almost feel like you're not worthy, that you're the one doing everything wrong." - Liz Garcia
If you've ever found yourself lying awake at 3 AM wondering if you're failing as an adoptive parent, you're not alone. In our latest episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we dive deep into the raw ...
Full Circle, Full Moon: An Adoption Story
How three remarkable women turned a foster-to-adopt journey into a song that celebrates the unexpected beauty of non-linear love
In a world that often expects stories to follow straight lines, the latest episode of The Anna Jinja Show reminds us that the most beautiful narratives often move in circles – complete, perfect, and exactly as they should be.
The Song That Says It All: "On...
We are bouncing with excitement to share our latest episode featuring Lou Mei Gutsch - a master's student whose story is so uplifting, it should come with a happiness warning label!
Why This Episode Will Make Your Week:
🥀 The "Winter Rose" Origin Story: Adopted from China as "Mei Fan" (beautiful winter-blooming rose), Lou Mei's name perfectly captures her ability to bring beauty and life to any situat...
In this deeply moving episode, host Anna Jinja sits down with Anna Sheffield, a young adoptee from Iowa City, and her mother, Kristin Cotterell Sheffield, to explore the layers of identity, belonging, and love that define adoption.
The conversation flows between mother and daughter perspectives—offering both honesty and tenderness—as they recount their family’s adoption journey, challenges of transracial adoption, and the resilien...
Finding Home in Two Worlds: Max's Journey from China to Minneapolis and Beyond: A Story of Courage, Identity, and Belonging
What does it mean to belong when you're caught between two worlds? In this deeply moving episode of The Anna Jinja Show, host Anna Jinja sits down with Max, a Chinese-American adoptee whose story challenges everything we think we know about family, identity, and home.
Adopted from Northern China at...
From Heartache to Hope
In our latest episode of The Anna Jinja Show, host Anna Jinja brings together three extraordinary voices for a conversation that will change how you think about adoption, family, and resilience.
Meet Lane Igoudin, the author whose memoir "A Family Maybe" chronicles his and partner Jonathan's journey through the Los Angeles County foster care system - the largest in the nation with ...
Simon Benn's Vision: How Your 250 Words Can Transform Adoptee Lives |
The moment that changes everything often looks ordinary. For Simon Benn, it was learning at age 40 that his childhood teddy bear came from his birth mother. "A volcano of anger erupted," he shared on The Anna Jinja Show. That moment launched him into a journey that would eventually help thousands of adoptees thrive. Now, Simon is asking for somethi...
Step by Step, Bit by Bit: How Two Women Created a Community of Love for 30+ Children
What started as children visiting friends turned into something extraordinary. Linda Sistrunk and Lish Greiner never intended to become unofficial foster parents. But when children in their community needed safety, love, and stability, their home became a haven.
Over the years, more than 30 children have found refuge in their converted six-bedroom ho...
An Adoptee’s Story of Courage, Connection, and Coming Full Circle
Kristina's journey isn't just about going back to Kazakhstan – it's about the universal human need to understand where we come from and how that shapes who we become.
Her story begins in a baby house in Taldikorgan, moves through multiple placements, and eventually lands in Ohio, where she was adopted by Signe Denbow at age eight.
The Weight of Multip...
Like Dandelions: How Two Women Redefine Belonging and Family
The Anna Jinja Show welcomes Meredith Jensen and Sydney Roberts for a conversation that blooms with unexpected wisdom
There's something magical about discovering that your family story isn't what you expected—it's better. In our latest episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we sit down with communication professional Meredith Jensen and her cousin Syd...
Finding Home in the Journey: When Life Takes Unexpected Turns
The latest episode of The Anna Jinja Show proves that some of the most profound conversations happen when strangers discover their stories are beautifully intertwined.
An Unlikely Connection
Host Anna Jinja brought together two guests who had never met but shared remarkably similar experiences of early family disruption and the journey to find belonging.
Roxanne Malè-B...
The Five-Minute Bond: Part 2 – Unraveling the Threads of Fate
The story of Shannon and Jan captivated listeners in Part 1, leaving us with the warmth of a bond formed in just five powerful minutes. But what happens when the hidden threads of fate begin to unravel, revealing even deeper connections?
In Part 2 of "The Five-Minute Bond," we delve further into the incredible journey of Shannon and her birth mother Jan, expl...
The Five-Minute Bond: A Story of Serendipity and Family
What would you do with five minutes that could define a lifetime?
In our latest episode, we share the remarkable story of Shannon, who discovered that her 16-year-old birth mother made one powerful demand before signing adoption papers: five minutes alone with her newborn daughter. Just five minutes - but in those moments, a bond was formed that would reshape two families fo...
Crown Up: A Journey of Self-Love and Identity with Levia Hartman
Join host Anna Jinja for an inspiring conversation with motivational author and poet Levia Hartman, whose extraordinary journey from foster care survivor to published author embodies the true meaning of resilience and self-acceptance. After moving through five different foster homes from age 11 to 18, facing rejection and instability while navigating life without her...
Complicated Love: A Military Family's Journey Through Three Adoptions
Join us for an emotionally enriching episode of the Anna Jinja Show, where we delve into the universal experience of adoption and how it shapes our identities. Hosted by international adoptee Anna, this episode features special guests Jay and Kate, who share their unique journey of adopting three children while navigating the challenges of life in the milita...
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