Hi! I’m Glenn Morey, inter-country adoptee and co-director of the Side by Side documentary project. Melinda McCulloch, inter-country adoptee and clinical therapist/LCSW, and I are hosting two sessions at this year’s KAAN Conference.

We will host one session for ADOPTEES ONLY—“Stories We Tell Ourselves & Others,” June 22, 10:30–11:45am. We will also host a general session primarily for NON-ADOPTEES, including parents, families, and allies—“Stories Adoptees Rarely Tell,” June 22, 3:45–5:00pm. Sorry about the all-caps. We just don’t want there to be any confusion. And each of these sessions deserves its own protected space.

Let me explain. We’ll be screening Side by Side short films made exclusively for KAAN, and for each of these two sessions and audiences. In both sessions, our purpose will be the same: To create visibility and representation for those stories that are the most difficult to hear and talk about. To shine a light on lived experiences and long-held feelings—fear, shame, anger, alienation, and more—that are hard to acknowledge, even to ourselves sometimes. Then, for Michelle and I to begin a conversation exploring this terrain. Participation in that conversation will be, of course, your choice. Empathy will be desired. Listening will absolutely be required.

The Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network (KAAN) is a nonprofit organization with a mission “to enrich the lives of Korean-born adoptees and transracial adoptees, and their families, by connecting the community through dialogue, education, and support.” Thank you, KAAN, for focusing this year’s conference on representation and visibility. These are themes very close to my heart.

For those unfamiliar with our project, go to SideBySideProject.com, and you’ll see 100 individual stories of abandonment, family separation, orphanages, and inter-country adoption from South Korea—filmed in 7 countries, 16 cities and 6 languages. You’ll see 10 short films providing a curated tour through themes that emerged from the 100 stories. You’ll find an Audible book, featuring 13 stories and commentary. And you’ll come to discover, as we did, the unimaginable range of Korean adoptee experiences and outcomes, and why we need to support each other in community.

As always, I look forward to seeing old friends, making new friends, and building on the courage and candor of the 100 storytellers of Side by Side.