An Evening with I’m Adopted Joined with Baby Be Brave - Los Angeles (2022)

In 2022 I’m Adopted organised a meet-up event in sunny Los Angeles, California. With previous events held in New Zealand, Russia, and Ireland, this was the Charity’s first gathering within the USA.

Hosts included Charity Founder and Russian-New Zealand adoptee Alex Gilbert, Russian-American adoptee Daria Rottenberk, and Michelle McManus with Baby Be Brave. Guest speakers included domestic adoptee Jim Serrano and Ukrainian-American adoptee Katarina Reach. 

The event took place outdoors at a beautiful bohemian-styled home. The cosy space was the perfect atmosphere for adoptees to come together, connect, and feel right at home. Guests enjoyed homemade food specially made by Michelle, Daria and others. Starters included bruschetta, antipasto, and caprese kabobs, followed by a tasty lemon-chicken dinner with rice and a Russian side salad. Ending the three-course meal were delicious Oreo and Strawberry parfaits.

Alex Gilbert started the evening with a safe space introduction and details behind the Charity. He shared about the progress since building the organisation in 2015, and how the community has grown within the past seven years. Alex further spoke on his journey, sharing his upbringing in New Zealand as a Russian adoptee.

He mentioned the difficulties in his own identity, connecting him to his Russian roots. He mentioned the experience of living in Russia for over six months in 2021, where there were obstacles along the way.

He highlighted the challenges with his birth mother, Tatiana, and the strong relationship he has with his birth father, Misha, since meeting them for the first time in 2013. Alex spoke about connections within his own birth family but also own family. A connection with his brother Andrei, which had always been strong but at times difficult with his own respected side of how he deals with birth family. 

Following Alex, Michelle with Baby Be Brave, an online community that provides a safe space for adoptees to share their story on her IGTV Live Series, Brave Souls. Michelle also hosts adoptee meet-ups for those in the community to come together to find friendship and support.

Additionally, she holds a biweekly adoptee support group welcoming all adoptees to share their struggles. In Michelle’s personal journey, she shared from those first memories after being adopted into America with her family to where she is now with her connections to Romania, as well as her birth family. Michelle deeply discussed very painful parts of her past, some of which were her first time sharing publicly. Like many, her journey had not been easy.

During her search years ago, Michelle discovered information that affected her mental health for many years. She is now in reunion with her biological mother and just recently had their first video call together. For Michelle, and so many other adoptees, reunion comes with its challenges. Despite her personal battles she faced throughout her journey, she was able to leave everyone with words of encouragement and hope for all adoptees.

After dinner, Jim Serrano, a domestic adoptee born in California, spoke as a guest speaker. Jim spoke about his journey that came with a lot of trauma and the connections that were lost along the way with his birth family.

He was adopted when he was two years old by his parents, Joe and Lupe, 45 years ago. He was raised in Gilroy, California and he didn’t find out he was adopted until he was 11 years old. Along with all of this, Jim spoke with the guests on a journey this very personal to himself.

He shared the love and support he received by his wife, Tina, on a daily basis. Not only was Tina at the event supporting the community, but she has been there by his side throughout most of Jim’s journey.

Daria, a Russian-American Adoptee shared her story which was not only emotional, but still fresh.

She just recently went through a journey, and is still seeking answers about her Birth Mother and Birth Father. Last summer, she was able to reunite with her Aunt and Cousin in Russia. In fact, the same day that they had this event, was the anniversary of meeting her birth family in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The dates aligned and they knew that having Daria, not only a co-host of this event but as speaker was very lionhearted for her. Daria spoke about the connections growing up, coming from three different orphanages to then being in three different families.

She opened up more about the challenges mentally and emotionally she faces with juggling multiple family dynamics and upbringings. Daria shared her journey on the TV series, Reunited EP 2, which follows her childhood to then going back to Saint Petersburg, Russia to reconnect, trying to find those missing pieces.

They ended the evening with the last speaker, Katarina Reach (also goes by Katya), a Ukrainian-American Adoptee. Although Katya wasn’t present in Los Angeles for the evening, she sent a video which was displayed for everyone to watch. She discussed her path with her connections, with her Birth Mother, and her adoptive family. Kayta shared the impact the situation in Ukraine is having on her birth family. She spoke about the ups and downs in her journey.

Katya plans to visit Ukraine to meet her birth mother for the first time. Katya has been with I’m Adopted since 2021 as an ambassador, providing topics and resources on the Adoption Diaries, as well as joining I’m Adopted on many of their online discussions. Katya also hosted an I’m Adopted and Baby Be Brave meet-up in 2020 in Dallas, Texas.

The guests received a gift bag which included a self love journal, an I’m Adopted pen, and a self reflection board to write affirmations on. At the end of the night, all the speakers stood together answering some questions asked by their guests. The speakers were touched by the engagement of their guests. Following the questions, they had a photo shoot area set up with the guests lined up to take photos with the hosts and speakers.

The event was created to bring adoptees together and to let them know they are seen and heard. The mission of their event was to encourage their guests that their trauma does not define them. It shapes them into who they want to become. Their journeys are constantly unfolding and adoption is a lifelong journey of healing.  

The team thanked the ProBono ASL team for providing ASL interpretation for one of the guests. They also thanked their sponsor, Rothman Orthopaedics Institute, for their time and energy to invest in their vision and for what they are raising awareness and connection in. 

These gatherings have provided support, advice, awareness, and resources not only for adoptees, but for adoptive parents as well.

“I enjoyed listening to all five of them present their life stories with those cherished moments. The Russian salad & foods were yummy!”

“I was so surprised at how welcoming and open minded the people I met at this event were. It was touching and inspiring for me. I will try to work on my healing.”

“I’m still amazed. It was the first time I was around other adoptees in person, and I was able to share my journey of being an adoptee for 60 years.”

“It was definitely a shift in being able to really speak openly about my experience. It was so liberating to be in a space where you felt so understood.”

“The I'm Adopted event was so amazing; with the most positive, influential, kind people.”

Photo Credit: Erik Valdez / @holavaldez / holavaldez.com

Note: This is an archived article/event from 2022. Live here for historical and archive purposes.