Call for Proposals for #KAAN2015
We are now accepting proposals for our 17th annual conference to be held in St Louis, MO, from June 26-28, 2015. Forms and complete details are available on our website at http://www.KAANet.org. Proposals are due by November 1, 2014. We seek speakers who believe in KAAN’s mission and want to participate fully in the conference as attendees as well as presenters. We invite people from many backgrounds to submit a proposal, especially adult adoptees.
Conference Theme and Topics: In our theme Intersections, we want to explore the places where community connects and the effects each has on the other. Tell us about advances in academic research, organizational programs and services, political policies, and in the day-to-day interactions within families and peer groups. Create an environment where eyes are opened to new ways of thinking. Provide tools that attendees can use to make changes and improvements in their own lives, homes, and communities.
Of particular interest are proposals that address: Reimagining our History: How does the legacy of the Korean War, present-day Korean politics, and recent efforts to improve the rights of single mothers in South Korea impact the lives of Korean-American adoptees? What responsibility do we have in the U.S. discussions of immigration and U.S.-born adoptees fight for access to their original birth certificates? What role should we play in supporting adoptees born in other countries, including those who are still being adopted now? Identity and Perspective: How does the intersection of various identity categories (i.e. race, sexual orientation, class, gender, ability status, privilege, etc.) affect how we understand adoption? How can we better communicate with and support one another? And how does culture fit into this mix? Actions and Resources: What work is being done to improve the lives of adoptees? How can resources be shared across communities?
More About Our Conferences Our conference brings together people from across the adoption community for dialogue, education, and support. It is our goal that, through these exchanges, common ground be found and improvements made in the lives of adoptees and their families. While Korean-born adoptees are our core, we welcome people of other backgrounds who wish to share their wisdom and questions with us.
A different kind of conference. We move toward action. We seek participants who want to make a difference in their own personal lives, families, and communities.
A different set of speakers. We grow together. Researchers, licensed social workers, activists, advocates, allies, organizational leaders, filmmakers, authors, performers, and individuals with powerful stories to tell … all sign up because they are committed to our mission. All come as volunteer presenters but also as participants with something to give and something to gain.
A different definition of community. We respect and also cross boundaries. We believe finding common ground plays an important role in broader change. We provide a place to forge partnerships and develop support systems within and across demographic borders and other societal groupings. Adoptees make up the majority of our participants, joined by first/birth parents and adoptive parents; siblings, spouses, and other family; non-adopted Koreans and Korean-Americans; and others with an interest in our work. Adult adoptees have the choice of participating in either general or adoptee-only sessions.