Adoption Network Cleveland’s virtual Monday Evening Speaker Series is a compelling program designed to engage and inform those interested in adoption, kinship, and foster care. Held most Monday evenings from 8 - 9 PM ET on Zoom, the series presents a broad array of topics relevant to the adoption constellation, from personal narratives to expert insights. Each session offers a unique opportunity for learning and reflection within the community.
“We work hard to curate content from as many different angles of the adoption experience as possible so that we can learn from and understand each other better,” says Ty Cliffel, Director of Programs. “We try to balance content so that many perspectives and points of view are shared.”
The series originated in response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, Adoption Network Cleveland was in the difficult position of pulling the plug on a long-planned conference as the world shut down. “I wanted to find a way to keep our community together, to keep people connected, and to find outlets for all the anxiety,” says Betsie Norris, Executive Director. Some of the initial speakers were people who had been planned presenters for the conference, and Betsie was able to leverage national and international relationships to schedule and host speakers from all over. Betsie says, “I wanted to seize the moment. I’d never used Zoom but figured we were all in this together, so if I failed, people would be forgiving. We had wanted to launch virtual programming for a long time, so this was the moment to take the leap.” Since then, it has evolved into a regular feature, with recordings available on YouTube for those who wish to view them later.
“We love that we are able to offer this content on demand through our YouTube channel, so no one misses out,” says Ty. “We are also grateful for our presenters who join us as volunteers and share our goal of providing education and support in the adoption community.”
We are pleased to announce an engaging fall lineup that explores themes of identity, resilience, and personal storytelling from diverse perspectives. We invite you to join us for one or all of these events. Our sincere thanks go to the presenters and attendees who continue to make this program a success. Read on to learn more about our upcoming Monday Evening Speaker Series presentations.
Socio-Cultural Factors in Identity Reclamation For An American Indian with Bruce Kafer
Monday, September 29, 2025
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET
As an adoptee who was raised in a loving Caucasian family, Bruce Kafer, has always known he was adopted and an American Indian. The significance of his Native background didn’t become poignantly relevant to him until his adult years. The journey of identity reclamation really began when he first asked his mother, “Why do I look different than the other kids, why is my skin darker?”
Following the resolution of his alcoholism and the myriads of traumas which ensued due to alcoholic drinking behaviors, the journey then became exponentially more complicated. Nonetheless, it was the eventual recognition that the Universe offered holistic possibilities which compelled Bruce to offer a prayer to find his birth mother. Once reunited with his birth mother, he recognized she was someone whom he looked like. Henceforth, the journey of reclamation spiritually evolved into a sacred journey of discovery replete with growth, gratitude, and opportunities for profound connectedness. Learn more about Bruce here.
Choosing to Breathe: A Return to The Gathering Place presented by Linda Pevac aka Emma Stevens
Monday, October 6, 2025
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET
What happens when we make a conscious decision to make our identities more than only being an adoptee? What if we were first to do the hard work necessary to move residual trauma out of our bodies and then dedicate ourselves to writing ourselves a new story? I want to share with you my own experience of doing just that and how creating The Gathering Place has helped me transform. This magical and mysterious place has shown me that when I choose to fully breathe and make space for new thoughts and ideas about myself and the world around me, I can, and we all can, be set free from former ways of being. Learn more about Emma here.
Finding Your Voice: From Personal Journey to Shared Experience with Deborah Jiang-Stein
Monday, October 13, 2025
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET
Deborah Jiang-Stein, a product of foster care and adoption, is author of “Lucky Tomorrow: Stories”, and the memoir, “Prison Baby." She will discuss her adoption journey after learning the secret of her birth in prison. She speaks about the stories that define us, and reframing our narrative on our own terms, moving through trauma stories to include joy, resilience, and growth in the adoption narrative. Learn more about Deborah here.
Stay up to date with current presentations by visiting our Monday Evening Speaker Series webpage.
Listen or watch from our catalog of past recordings by visiting our YouTube channel.
