December 14 – Matt Weismantel – “Are You My Mother?” A New Jersey Adoptee’s Perspective on Search and Reunion
There is always a great deal to unpack in any closed adoption search and reunion effort, and it is not easy to assess how someone will handle their discoveries. No matter the approach, it is rarely an antiseptic process— and can be further complicated by the rose-colored glasses of expectation. DNA advances have sped things up, leaving precious little time to internalize new information before reunion commences. By examining a personal case history, we will consider the implications of how search and reunion have transitioned from private investigator cases into a typical genealogical exercise along with significant changes in New Jersey law. How have these changes influenced the life experiences of adoption triad members, both those who want or do not want to search? The presentation will also provide a view on the long-term progression of reunion.
