Meredith Jensen & Sydney Roberts

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 Sydney Roberts for a conversation that transforms how we think about identity, belonging, and the power of putting down roots wherever we land.

The Dandelion's Secret
Meredith's journey began when she moved from Northeast Ohio to Appalachian Athens for college in 2003. Never feeling called to leave, she began to see herself through the lens of ecology—specifically, as a dandelion. In her beautiful essay "I Am a Naturalized Species," she writes:

"I am a dandelion—just a weed to most, but what is a weed if not a plant growing where you don't want it? North, I stand out on the lawns of monoculture sod, feeling too bright, too loud, too prolific, and annoying. South, I am still all those things, but the sod is replaced with bittercress, clover, violet, and speedwell. I am part of a collective, a network that relies on each other."

A Different Kind of Transplant
Sydney's story offers another perspective on adaptation. Adopted from China as an infant in 2003, she grew up in Northeast Ohio in what she describes as an eight-generation American family. But unlike a plant being transplanted, Sydney explains, "For me, there was no transplant because I was a baby. Everything I've ever known has been in Northeast Ohio."

Her security comes from a profound truth: "I don't feel like we could ever be discarded because they wanted me. They sought me out and did jump through all the hoops, did all the paperwork, and then flew across the world for me."

The Great Eight
Sydney's adoption story includes seven other girls—"The Great Eight"—all adopted from the same Chinese orphanage on the same day. Their stories began differently—some left at farmer's markets, others at fire stations, some on roadsides—but all led to families who crossed oceans to bring them home.

"It's such a blessing that we were taken from China and brought to the United States to have a chance at life," Sydney reflects, embodying the resilience that dandelions represent.

Choosing Your Garden
Both women emphasize the power of choice in creating identity and belonging. As Sydney puts it: "Belonging and identity are separate from roots, and it really comes to choice. You have the choice to either accept or deny whatever... It's up to you to truly take on and have that choice of who you're going to be."

Meredith adds her own wisdom: "A naturalized species figures out how to adapt. And if you are strong enough to figure out how to adapt to a place, to find a purpose and to not overwhelm it and destroy it at the same time, that's not something you throw away. That's power."

Beyond Weeds
This episode resonates with anyone who's ever felt out of place or had their worth questioned. It's for those who've been told they don't belong, who've had their offerings dismissed like dandelions thrown in the trash. Meredith and Sydney show us that adaptation isn't just survival—it's a form of creativity, strength, and ultimately, love.

Their conversation reminds us that family isn't just about biology or geography. It's about the networks we create, the purposes we find, and the ways we choose to bloom wherever we're planted.

Listen to the full episode of The Anna Jinja Show to hear more of their remarkable insights