VOICES, a BIPOC Adoptee Community

Who we are

We are VOICES, a BIPOC Adoptee Community (also known as BIPOC Adoptees), the only national nonprofit led by and for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) adoptees. Our mission is to create trauma-informed, culturally responsive spaces where adoptees can heal, connect, and reclaim their narratives.

Adoptees are four times more likely to attempt suicide than non-adoptees, and for BIPOC adoptees the risk is even higher due to the compounded impacts of racial isolation, adoption trauma, and systemic invisibility. VOICES is building the first movement that directly addresses this crisis—by centering lived experience and transforming isolation into community.

Our vision is a future where every adoptee has belonging, resources, and the power to thrive.

We serve BIPOC adoptees across generations and experiences, including current and former foster youth, adoptees living with legal guardians, and descendants of adoptees who continue to be shaped by adoption’s impact.

What we do

Our organization every program is designed for us, by us—rooted in lived experience and built to create healing, connection, and systemic change.

Support & Community: Storytelling events, mixers, retreats, and monthly circles where BIPOC adoptees find belonging and joy.

Education & Training: Adoption-competent curriculum, workshops, and panels that equip professionals and empower adoptees.

Conferences: Multi-day gatherings bringing adoptees together across the globe to connect, strategize, and build community.

Storytelling & Media: Documentaries, creative projects, and public events that reclaim narratives and amplify adoptee voices.

Accessibility & Mutual Aid: Scholarships, honoraria, and resource-sharing that remove barriers and ensure all adoptees can participate.

What your donation supports

🌿 Healing & Community: Free workshops, mixers, and support spaces for BIPOC adoptees, grounded in trauma-informed care.

✍️ Storytelling & Expression: Writing circles and creative workshops where adoptees reclaim identity and dismantle isolating narratives.

🏕️ Retreats & Gatherings: Nature retreats, family campouts, and affinity events that build joy, culture, and lasting bonds.

🌉 Accessibility & Support: Scholarships and stipends that remove financial and geographic barriers to participation.

🎬 Media & Narrative Change: Film and storytelling projects that amplify adoptee voices and shift harmful narratives.

📚 Education & Training: Adoptee-led curriculum for providers and educators, transforming professional practice.

Why we do this crucial work

Adoptees often grow up as the only person of their race in their family, community, or region—navigating identity, belonging, and mental health challenges alone. Too often, their pain is dismissed with “love is enough” or “be grateful,” leaving trauma unrecognized and untreated.

Our conference connects over 450 adoptees around the world, including mental health providers and educators. The impact is real: 89% of attendees reported feeling “less alone,” and many accessed mental health resources for the first time.

We do this because adoptees deserve more than survival—they deserve healing, connection, and community. Every donation fuels immediate crisis support, professional education, and long-term systems change.

Together, we can turn:

Isolation → Community

Trauma → Healing

Silence → Voice

Crisis → Resilience