"How could my life until that point not be the authentic life that I thought I was living?" - Lorna Little, Black, late discovery adoptee
With an impressive academic and professional background in social services, Lorna Little, MSW is intimately connected to the challenges and needs of families, particularly youth parents, youth in foster care and individuals impacted by adoption. Since 2018, she has served as the President and CEO of St. Anne's Family Services. In 1997, the professional turned unexpectedly - an unimaginably - personal.
"It's out now." With those three simple words, Lorna learned from her mother that she was adopted.
But only by one parent.
"Your dad is your dad biologically. But I'm not your biological mother."
A living family secret swaddled in the shame of infidelity, infertility, interracial romance and stigma took Lorna on an international search for the truth of her origins that spanned years.
Lorna's search is filled with so many twists, turns and moments of synchronicity that her reunion can only be called Divine.
Her memoir, Mum's the Word! (we love a good double entendre!) is not only a journey through family secrets and relationships; it's a map of sorts for other late discovery adoptees navigating their own healing journeys through what Lorna describes as the complex "blessing" of adoption.
This episode is like a movie, y'all, get comfortable and get into it!
As always, LISTEN, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE!
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RECOMMENDED ADOPTION RESOURCES
- LISTEN: Voices of the Black Adoption Experience and African American adoption on The Black Adoption Podcast
- REQUIRED READING: Black to the Beginning Reads Bookshop - A carefully curated list of #BTTBreads
- FEATURED #BTTBreads: Mum's the Word! A Memoir by Lorna Little
- AS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: "Secrets & Lies" (Film)
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