A mysterious tattoo on her forearm was all that linked Sara Jones, adopted as a child by white parents, to her South Korean origins. Searching for her birth family taught her that transracial adoption stories often frame new lives abroad as strokes of luck that call for endless gratitude, obscuring a far more complex reality. Through her experience of loss and discovery, Jones offers guidance on what adoptive parents can do to protect their children's unique cultural and personal narratives.

My story of love and loss as a transracial adoptee

Adoption across cultures often erases a child's connection to their origins, leaving scars that can last a lifetime. A Korean child's tattoo, surgically removed after arriving in America, ultimately became the key to reuniting with her lost family 42 years later. While adoptive families celebrate new beginnings, adoptees may silently struggle with grief, identity, and the pressure to feel grateful. Embracing every side of the adoption story, including loss and longing, leads to deeper empathy and healthier families.