about — chinese adoptee collective

chinese adoptee collective
a collective of people adopted from china working together to organize the first closed* conference for our community.

about

chinese adoptee collective is a grassroots volunteer collective of people adopted from china working together to organize the first closed* conference for our community. we believe through education, caregiving, storytelling, and connection we can nourish said community and empower each other now and far into the future.

more coming soon.

2025 organizer bios & spotlights

ashton (they/them) was born in changsha, hunan, china in 1994. they are a queer, non-binary, trans, disabled/neurodivergent, adoptee who has supported cac in various ways, including some art/design work and working with cac volunteers. they're excited to be gathering in community with fellow chinese adoptees, in a space made by and for chinese adoptees. outside of cac and work, ashton is a multi-hyphenate artist finding their way in this world, at a pace sustainable for them. they enjoy riding bikes/public transportation, listening to music, reconnecting to birth culture, and saying hi to all cats/dogs/wildlife they see.

spotlight :: @asianmentalhealthcollective - fosters healing, resilience and connection in asian communities in the us through culturally-informed clinical services, virtual peer support spaces, and support for asian mental health providers

grace was adopted from yiwu in the zhejiang province of china in 1997 and grew up around the upper midwest. she has been using her experience in academia as a critical adoption studies researcher to help review and develop the conference program for cac. at the conference, they are most excited to explore all of the advocacy and organizing opportunities made possible by being in community. outside of cac, grace is an ever-doting dog parent and noodle enthusiast.

spotlight :: @redcanarysong - an abolitionist mutual aid support network for and of asian sex workers and massage workers based in nyc

jess was adopted from near shanghai china in 1994. they oversee conference development and look most forward to the crossmovement solidarity session and the open mic/drag show fundraiser. outside of cac they enjoy playing mahjongg, doing arts and crafts, and watching movies. in the future they hope to continue working with cac to help strengthen and liberate their community.

spotlight :: @angryasianwomxn - a safety, wellness + community 4 women/femmes/gender expansive folks affected by anti-asian racism and/or islamophobia

laur (they/them) was adopted from kunming in yunnan province of china in 1996. they grew up in denver, co, and have also lived in bloomington, in, and providence, ri. they now call seattle, wa home. laur is queer, non-binary, and neurodivergent, and has supported cac through co-developing the conference program and co-creating the reset room. this year, they’ll be co-facilitating with the nanchang project and volunteering as a mental health professional. they’re especially excited to build deeper in-person connections with fellow chinese adoptees, as much of their adoptee community-building has taken place virtually. outside of cac, laur is graduating with their dual master’s in social work and public health at the university of washington in june. they love being in nature (hiking, camping, and hanging out at the beach), listening to music (and singing!), going to the gym, drawing and painting, and adoring their cat (@helloitstubba).

spotlight :: @bipocadoptees - a community that aims to create a safe and inclusive world where adoptees from these communities are seen, safe, and heard.

minel was adopted from guixi, jiangxi in 1998. she helps run socials for cac. in her spare time, she enjoys listening to kpop, attending concerts, watching movies, and reading. minel is looking forward to connecting with and elevating the voices of fellow chinese adoptees.

spotlight :: @asianfoodcollective - combining the power of food and connection, asian food collective supports the local philly community with culturally relevant food.

community rules and guidelines :: https://bit.ly/cacrules2025

feedback form - for community members interested in giving cac feedback, anonymously or signed, please use this form :: https://forms.gle/gugbNgSTbWmNFahKA

press

The Chinese Adoptee Collective is planning a convention in Philly’s Chinatown ::
https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/cac-china-adoptions-zoom-conference-20241024.html

if you are an organization in the adoption sect and are interested in collaborating please contact us using our contact form .

*closed means only for people (18+ yo) adopted from china. no adoptive parents, partners, or the general public. this is important to us because historically people who experience transnational adoption are extremely isolated and raised without fellow adoptee community. this conference will be the first large closed gathering for people adopted from china.