UMass Amherst Libraries Host Exhibit, “Giving Voice to Adoption”

The UMass Amherst Libraries host the exhibit, “Giving Voice to Adoption,” March 4 through March 15, 2024. The exhibit is open for viewing during regular Library hours in the W. E. B. Du Bois Library Learning Commons, UMass Amherst.

The “Giving Voice to Adoption” exhibit will feature portraits and audio-recorded interviews, as well as written transcripts, where adoptees candidly share their unique stories and thoughts on adoption. Attendees can access these interviews through QR codes displayed on individual posters associated with each story.

This initiative is part of the Adopted Student Advisory Panel (ASAP)’s collaboration with the Rudd Adoption Research Center and Five College Adoption Community of Elders (ACE). The project, generously funded by the UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion, aims to raise awareness and understanding about adoption by providing a platform for adoptees to share their personal experiences.

“We believe in the power of personal narratives to foster understanding and connection. ‘Giving Voice to Adoption’ not only highlights the individual experiences of adoptees but also underscores the universality of our shared experiences,” says Millie Ferguson, President of ASAP.

Kate Freedman, History and Graduate Student Services Librarian who has been working with ASAP on the exhibit, agrees. “We hope that this exhibit can both help the larger UMass community better understand the diverse experiences of adoptees, and help adopted students, staff, and faculty find community as adoptees at UMass.”