I Promise. - Linzi

Late night sketch.

These drawings were done by a very talented CCI member named Linzi. She has other really cool drawings at: http://www.hitrecord.org/users/ClicheKillsWOrd/all_records  Please go check them out!!

"I recently was informed that I have a biological brother living in China. We were in the same 

orphanage; I was adopted by my American parents, and he was adopted by a family in China. I don't know where or who he is, but I am going to find him. I was thinking about the "red thread" concept that ties people destined to meet together. "

"I don't really know how I'll find him, but I know I will."-Linzi 

Being Asian and bad at math

I know what people are thinking. An Asian who struggles with math? Gasp!  This must be an oxymoron. But in fact there are Asians that find math difficult, I happen to be one of them.

"Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same..." -Marianne Williamson

Stereotypes regarding physical appearance and numerous other sweeping statements have been made about Asians. And at one point or another Chinese adoptees may feel the sting of these broad and sometimes untrue statements. When I was younger I didn't feel "smart" enough to be Asian, just because I did not excel at mathematics. Kids would come up to me and ask for homework help just because I looked as if I would be "good at math". I was ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't help them. I felt inadequate and quite stupid. This was detrimental to my self esteem,  for years I never felt that I was smart enough. Things have changed as I have matured. I have learned to not listen to other kids and the silly things that they sometimes say. 

A word of advice to parents: 

Kids can be really mean. I didn't know I was being stereotyped or bullied, I thought I WAS THE PROBLEM, and so I never told my parents.  By the way I love my parents with all my heart and they did everything right! Please explain stereotypes to your children so that your child will understand that he or she is not the problem and that the statements are NOT true. They are simply stereotypes. 

A word of advice to kids: 

You are brilliant, talented, special, unique and amazing! Don't listen to silly things  that other  kids say about you. Be proud that you came from such a rich and wonderful culture.  Be proud of your adopted culture too. Always remember that Chinese children are some of the most beautiful children in the world. 

Love, 

Jessie 

Famous Adoptees

If you ever have felt that you are the only person in the world that has ever been adopted, take a look at this list. It's truly incredible how many famous, brilliant, talented, and successful people happen to also be adoptees.

Maybe one day YOU will make it on this list! 

Famous Adoptees:

Alexander the Great - King of Macedonia, 356-323 B.C.

Andy Berlin - entrepreneur: chairman of Belin Cameron & Partners

Dave Thomas

Anthony Williams - politician

Aristotle - philosopher

Art Linkletter - comedian

Bo Diddley - musician, performer

Brent Jasmer - actor

Buffy Sainte-Marie - musician, actress

Carl Theodor Dreyer - Danish film director

Charles Dickens - writer

Charlotte Anne Lopez - Miss Teen USA

Christina Crawford - author

Clarissa Pinkola Estes - author

Crazy Horse - Lakota war chief

Dan O'Brien - decathlete

Daunte Culpepper - football player

Dave Thomas - entrepreneur: founder of Wendy's

Debbi Harry - singer

Edgar Allen Poe - poet, writer

Edward Albee - playwrigh

Eric Dickerson - athlete

Faith Daniels - news anchor

Faith Hill - country singer

Freddie Bartholomew - actor

Gary Coleman - actor

George Washington Carver - inventor

Greg Louganis - diver

Halle Berry - actress

Ingrid Bergman - actress

James McArthur - actor

James Michener - author

Jean Jacques Rousseau - philosopher
Jenna Ushkowitz

Jesse Jackson - minister

Jesus - adopted by Joseph the carpenter (Bible)

Jett Williams - country singer and author

John Lennon

Jim Palmer - athlete

John J. Audubon - naturalist

John Lennon - musician
Kristin Chenoweth-Actress  

Langston Hughes - poet and writer

Larry Ellison - entrepreneur: chief executive of Oracle

Leo Tolstoy - writer

Les Brown - motivational speaker

Lynnette Cole - Miss USA 2000

Malcolm X - civil rights leader

Marilyn Monroe - actress

Mark Acre - athlete

Mark Twain - writer

Matthew Laborteaux - actor

Melissa Gilbert - actress

Michael Reagan - dancer

Moses - adopted by the princess of Egypt (Bible)

Moses - Biblical leader

Nancy Reagan - First Lady

Nat King Cole - singer

Nelson Mandela - politician

Patrick Laborteaux - actor

Peter and Kitty Carruthers - figure skaters

President Gerald Ford - politician

President Gerald R. Ford - adopted by step-father

President William Clinton - politician

Priscilla Presley - actress

Ray Liotta - actor

Reno - performance artist, comedian

Rep. Jim Lightfoot - politician

Richard Burton - actor

Sarah McLachlan - singer

Scott Hamilton - figure skater

Steve Jobs

Source:

Sen. Paull H. Shin - politician

Sen. Robert Byrd - politician

Shari Belafonte-Harper - actress

Steve Jobs - entrepreneur: co-founder of Apple computer

Surya Bonaly - figure skater

Tim Green - football player/commentator

Tom Monaghan - entrepreneur

Tommy Davidson - comedian

Victoria Rowell - actress

Wilson Riles - educator

http://www.adoptionopen.com/famousadoptions.html 

-Jessie 

Lessons from the Lion King

I recently saw the Lion King on broadway.  It was awe-inspiring and I was moved to tears during some  parts. There are some wonderful lessons to be learned from the Lion King. Here are a few that I came up with:

 

1. The journey to find ourselves  -  As a young cub Simba looses his father. As Simba matures he   embarks on a  journey to find himself.  On the way he is welcomed with open arms by Pumba and Timone.  They needed Simba and Simba needed them. He eventually winds up back home. Simba's journey is similar to our journey. We all lost our birthparents when we were young.  We were placed into a loving family.  Our family needed us. We needed them. As we are maturing like Simba we are taking the journey to discover ourselves. For some of us that  even means going "home" to our birth country to search for our birth-families. 

2. The lyrics in "They Live In You" remind us that:  Although we were separated from our birth parents and China, our Chinese ethnicity and our birth parents will forever live in our reflections.

"They live in you

They live in me

They're watching over

Everything we see

In every creature

In every star

In your reflection

They live in you"

    
                                                                                    

3. We are all intertwined in the circle of life  - We all went separate paths, have different personalities, sets of beliefs, and ways of life. However, in the end we are all just humans. We all had the same beginnings and we will all inevitably have the same ending. We are greater than just ourselves. We are all bound together by the circle of life. 

Jessie L.