This We the Experts panel brings together different members of the adoption constellation to explore what it means to engage deeply with adoption awareness, advocacy, and change. Rarely do we see spaces where multiple members of the adoption constellation come together and model what it looks like to lean into adoption’s complexities beyond the dominant social narrative of the “happy adoption” story. Through an adoptee-centered lens, panelists will share how they navigate difficult truths, challenge assumptions, and work toward more ethical, informed, and compassionate practices.

“The Constellation: Doing the Work” invites us to move beyond isolated roles and toward collective responsibility, asking what becomes possible when we come together to question old narratives, expand understanding, and build something more truthful in their place.