Hi! I’m Kristal
In this two-part episode, Kristal speaks with Haley Radke and the board members of Adoptees for Family Preservation about On Adoption, family separation and the lasting impact of adoption on adoptees and first mothers.
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“On Adoption, with the support of Adoptees for Family Preservation, is seeking to change the narrative.” – Sullivan Summer
In this two-part episode of Because She’s Adopted, Kristal Parke first speaks with Haley Radke about On Adoption, her developing investigative podcast examining adoption’s impact on adoptees and birth/first parents. She is then joined by the board members of Adoptees for Family Preservation: President Sullivan Summer, Secretary Lora Alegria and Treasurer/Funds Development Officer Lilly Anspach.
Together, they explore family separation, coercion within adoption, the long-term effects on adoptees and first mothers, and why centering lived experience is essential to changing the adoption narrative. They also share how listeners can support On Adoption and the work of Adoptees for Family Preservation.
About the Guests
Haley Radke
Haley Radke is a Canadian domestic adoptee, founder of Haley Radke Media, Inc. and host of Adoptees On, one of the world’s longest-running and most successful adoption-related podcasts, with more than 1.5 million downloads globally. Her commitment to centering adoptee stories has made her a sought-after voice in adoption and podcast storytelling.
Her project-in-progress, On Adoption, investigates adoption’s impact on adoptees and birth/first parents. You can find Haley at adopteeson.com and adoptionpop.com.
Sullivan Summer
Sullivan Summer is a U.S. domestic, transracial adoptee, independent scholar, essayist, critic, poet and podcaster. After more than two decades as an attorney and corporate executive, she returned to her first love: reading and writing.
Sullivan is a host with the New Books Network, the world’s largest books podcast network. Her author interviews include Pulitzer Prize, NAACP Image Award, National Book Critics Circle Award and MacArthur Fellowship recipients. Her essays, interviews, poetry and criticism have appeared in popular and academic outlets, and she is a 2025 Best of the Net anthology nominee. She serves as President of Adoptees for Family Preservation and is currently seeking representation for a completed novel manuscript and a Civil War-era biography proposal.
Lora Alegria
Lora K. Joy, also known as Lora Alegria, is a domestic same-race adoptee. She is fully estranged from her adoptive family and reunited with both her maternal and paternal biological families. In 2022, she legally changed her name back to her birth name, and her biological mother reclaimed her through an adult adoption.
Lora has self-published three illustrated books and writes at My Adoptee Truth. She co-led publication of the adoptee anthology The Flourish Experience, serves as Secretary of Adoptees for Family Preservation, co-leads an estrangement peer-support group through Adoption Knowledge Affiliates and produces Adoptees On. You can reach Lora at lora@myadopteetruth.com.
Lilly Anspach
Lilly Anspach is a nationally recognized leadership strategist, entrepreneur and adoptee advocate with more than 25 years of experience in operations, system design and executive development. She is the founder of The Yuri Group, a consulting firm specializing in human-centred operational excellence, and a licensed affiliate of the Shingo Institute.
Lilly also created Center to Shape, a leadership workshop that combines hands-on pottery with self-leadership reflection. An adoptee and survivor of early childhood trauma, she brings both personal and systemic perspectives to her advocacy. She now uses her platform to elevate the stories and rights of adoptees while supporting women in midlife as they reconnect with their values and lead with authenticity.
Support Adoptees for Family Preservation
Tax-deductible donations can be made through Adoptees for Family Preservation.
Listen to this episode on the
Because She Was Adopted Podcast
Changing the adoption narrative begins by listening to the people who have lived its consequences. This conversation reminds us that family preservation, informed choice and the dignity of adoptees and first mothers are not abstract ideas, they shape real lives across generations.
If this episode resonates with you, consider supporting On Adoption and Adoptees for Family Preservation. Sharing these stories helps challenge harmful assumptions, centre lived experience and make room for more honest conversations.
Thank you for being here.
With gratitude,
Kristal
