Terra Cooper
Soon after adopting ten years ago, I started a private online support and educational adoption group on Facebook. This group has been my lifeline of support throughout our adoption journey. About a year later I was asked to be the Chair for United for Adoption. By continuing to always educate myself by listening to others stories and perspectives, I have learned so much valuable information and have changed my perspectives on a lot of things.
I am passionate about making the road easier for those that come after me in adoption-for all members of the triad and their family and friends. Currently I am working with one of our legislatures to pass a bill so that adult adoptees can have access to their Original Birth Certificate. This is vital for them to have THEIR information about THEIR birth since they had no say in being adopted and having their birth certificate altered.
Outside of working in marketing and photography, you can find me doing advocacy and volunteer work, eating my daily dose of Ben & Jerry’s and going to concerts with my family.
A few years ago I started an organization to help support teachers, Utah Parents for Teachers, and I really try each day to advocate for those whose voices may not be heard so they can feel more supported. I taught 6th grade for 4 years and absolutely loved it. I will always be a teacher at heart and also, a lifelong learner.
Kari Weiss
Kari Weiss is an Trans Racial International Adoptee. She was adopted from India as an infant. She is currently a Pediatric Doctor of Nurse Practitioner student working towards providing trauma-informed care to pediatric patients when she graduates in 2025. Her goal is to start a medical clinic that supports adoptees. She also holds a masters in Health Promotion and Education and a bachelors in Nursing and Human Development and Family Studies.
It is important for adoptive parents and hopefully adoptive parents to understand how losing genetic and cultural connections, as well as the trauma of relinquishment affects the mind and the body. For an Adoptee, they may not understand why they feel what they feel. They are the only one in the triad that has no say, but has every choice affect them. Understanding this information gives strength to work through their feelings. It also provides a place to show that they are not broken. I wrote this chapter (TRA Chapter 4) to show a small piece of the impacts that adoptees face.