Presentation Title: Let's Talk About Reunion

Bio: Louise was adopted in 1980. She found her birth family through DNA testing in 2018. Upon finding her birth mother (Linda Reboulet), she realized the pain and sadness that her mother carried her whole life. This made her want to understand how and why her mom was struggling, when everything she was raised with told her that they were fine and had a better life. This pushed back the narrative that adoption was good for all. Trying to reconcile this, she joined her mother at various support groups to learn more about other adoptees’ and birth parents’ experiences. She and her mom saw the challenges and misses with many reunions and were determined to find a way to help prevent some of those challenges. She and her mom lead an in-person support group in PA through Concerned United Birthparents (CUB) and have started one for birth families, adoptees and their supports virtually. She has connected with many adoptees overseas and purposely made their support group at a time that those in the US and other countries could join to share their lived experiences. During this journey of traveling together with her mom through the trauma of adoption, she found a voice and is trying to give back to those who have supported her and her mom for the last 5 years.