Concerned United Birthparents and Korean Adoptees, the Vance Twins explore An Orphan’s Research
Next Event Alert! These powerful voices will lead a critical panel discussion on “Conceiving Christian Families, Deceiving Vulnerable Mothers.”
Meet the Vance Twins, compilers of The “Unknown” Culture Club: Korean Adoptees, Then and Now at The Concerned United Birthparents Retreat!
Mark your calendars for the CUB Retreat in Kansas City, MO, from September 26th to 29th, 2024!
This is your chance to meet the Vance Twins, compilers of Adoptionland: From Orphans to Activists and The Unknown Culture Club: Korean Adoptees, Then and Now. Join both of them and other activists and authors.
- Risa Cromer, author of Conceiving Christian America: Embryo Adoption and Reproductive Politics
- Rev. Dr. Janine (Vance) Mung Ja, author of Adoption History: An Adoptee’s Research into Child Trafficking
- Jenette (Vance) Yamamoto, co-founder of Adoption Truth & Transparency Worldwide Network (IG: @AdoptionTruth)
- Leslie Pate MacKinnon, LCSW, Dan Rather, Adoption or Abducted
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leaders and victims in adoption and reproductive politics.
Register here.
About Concerned United Birthparents Annual Retreat:
We are so excited to be hosting our annual retreat this year and hope you consider joining us for a weekend of learning, connection, and healing. We have some terrific sessions planned with authors, therapists, filmmakers, and legislative advocates. But don’t worry; we have plenty of time to relax and connect with each other, which is always important to our retreat attendees. We welcome anyone to our retreat, including birth/first mothers, fathers, siblings, adoptees, adoptive families, and professionals working with our community. Below is the session schedule and information about our hotel and air/ground transportation.
Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 26
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1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. National CUB Board Meeting
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7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Hospitality Gathering
Friday, Sept. 27
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8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast
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10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Welcome & Opening Remarks
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10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. From Here to Identity: Dr Abby Hasberry, Kara Rubenstein, Melanie Bonner
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12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch On Your Own & Free Time
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2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Reproductive Injustice: Risa Cromer: author of Conceiving Christian America: Embryo Adoption and Reproductive Politics,
Rev. Dr. Janine Vance, author Adoption: What You Should Know: An Orphans Research, and Leslie Pate MacKinnon LCSW
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4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Support Groups
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6:15 p.m. Hosted Dinner
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8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Live Interactive Storytelling Event
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9:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Hospitality Gathering
Saturday Sept. 28
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8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Breakfast
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8:45 am – 9:45 am Journaling with Candace Cahill
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10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Adoption Law Inequities: With Lisa Elaine Scott, Malinda Seymour JD, Heather Kuhn JD
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12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch On Your Own & Free Time
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2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Telling Our Stories: with author Julia MacDonnell Chang Hidden Girls: A Birth Mothers Story of Reunion and Reckoning, and author Rebecca Wellington Who Is A Worthy Mother? An Intimate History of Adoption, author Monica Hall Practically Still a Virgin
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4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Support Groups
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6:15 p.m. Hosted Dinner
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8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Film: Somebody’s Daughter by Zara Phillips
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9:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Hospitality Gathering
Sunday Sept. 29
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Brunch 9:00-12:00
Hotel & Accommodations
Our venue and hotel for the retreat will be the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza located at 4445 Main St. Kansas City, MO 64111.
Book your room within our block where your rate is $169/per night if you book by September 4, 2024.
Air/Ground Transportation
We know many of you travel from all over to join us for our retreat. The nearest major airport is Kansas City International Airport (MCI) where you are sure to find many direct flights to/from your home.
The hotel is about 30 miles from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) but the hotel does not operate a shuttle service. However, we have here is a page with taxi/rideshare information: Getting To and From MCI.
