What We Learned From Our First "Together in This" Cohort
Our first "Together in This" cohort showed us something we already suspected: partners of adoptees need a space too. Real conversations, real community, and a lot still left to explore. We're sharing what we learned and are giving insight into what's coming next.
5 Reasons to Join the Annual Truth Day International Conference and Korea Tour
Take a closer look at the USKRG & Ties experience and what participants can expect as part of this meaningful gathering centered on connection, reflection, and community. This experience brings together adoptees and the wider community for meaningful dialogue, learning, and connection in Korea, offering space to engage more deeply with identity, history, and lived experience.
Five Things Adoptees Should Know Before Traveling to Their Birth Country a Second Time
Been to your birth country before? Your next trip is going to feel completely different and that's okay. 💜 We're diving into what adoptees can expect on return trips: bigger feelings, new perspectives, and the beauty of seeing familiar places with fresh eyes. Featuring real stories from Ties Team Members and alumni, it's an honest and encouraging guide to traveling with an open heart, releasing expectations, and embracing every feeling along the way.
All of Your Ethiopian Ties Questions Answered
Planning a Ties Heritage trip to Ethiopia? This guide answers everything from dates, to updates from the inaugural trip, in-country support, reconnection opportunities with birth family and pricing. Learn how Ties creates meaningful, personalized experiences for adoptees and their loved ones plus get tips on grants, travel planning and making the most of your journey.
The Importance of Being “Together in This” - Introducing Our New Seminar for Partners of Adoptees
Together in This is a three-part interactive seminar created specifically for partners of adoptees who want to better understand, support, and grow alongside the person they love. We sat down with Ben Kaanta and Sarah Kurtzahn, co-creators of this important seminar, to gain insight into why they felt this course was needed and why they decided to navigate unchartered territory.
The Assumption of Citizenship: Why Intercountry Adoptees Are Left Out of the Conversation
Many assume that international adoption automatically grants a child citizenship, but this isn't always the case. This post explores the historical and legal reasons why thousands of adult adoptees remain without secure status today.
Intercountry Adoptee Rights and Safety Guide: What to Know in 2026
Stay informed, prepared, and supported as an intercountry adoptee. This living guide offers practical tips on rights, documentation, travel, and community resources, helping adoptees navigate immigration enforcement and complex legal questions with confidence and care.
Goodbye 2025, Hello 2026
Dr. Tanya Kaanta, Director of the Ties Program, reflects on 2025 - acknowledging the transformation of the adoptee space and the what Ties brings to the table. She also looks forward to what 2026 will bring for Ties the broader adoptee landscape.
File Reviews & Birth Search in the Age of NCRC: Part 2
In part two this two-part series, program manager and Korean adoptee Liz Kwon personally reflects on how birth search and file reviews are being handled since NCRC took over adoptee files earlier in 2025.
File Reviews & Birth Search in the Age of NCRC: Part 1
In part one this two-part series, program manager and Korean adoptee Liz Kwon personally reflects on how birth search and file reviews are being handled since NCRC took over adoptee files earlier in 2025.
Positionality, Identity, and Adoption: Lessons from the Summer Adoption Research Institute
Hear from Senior Program Manager, Sarah Kurtzahn, as she reflects on her time at the Rudd Institute from the viewpoint of someone who is connected to adoption in a non-traditional way.
Returning to Research: Reflections on the Rudd Institute’s Adoption Masterclass
Follow Ties owner and executive director, Tanya Kaanta, as she reflects on her time at the Rudd Adoption Research Program.
Ties Returns to Colombia: A Journey of Connection, Culture and Homecoming
Ben Kaanta, Colombia Ties Program Manager, reflects on Ties’ return to Colombia and how geographical and cultural layers can inform an experience.
Turning Pain Into Purpose with Simon Benn of Thriving Adoptees
Thoughts from Simon Benn of Thriving Adoptees and Tanya Kaanta, Director of the Ties Program, on healing from adoption trauma.
Returning to Korea: A Personal and Evolving Journey Through Heritage Travel
In this powerful reflection, Korean Ties Program Manager Sarah Kurtzahn shares her personal experience traveling to South Korea with her husband (a Korean adoptee) and their young son. From exploring Seoul in 100°F heat to navigating Korea’s evolving post-adoption landscape, Sarah reflects on how heritage travel, adoptee identity, and family connection continue to intersect in meaningful ways.
Returning to China as an Adoptee: The Trip That Opened the Real Journey
China Ties Program Manager Autumn Ackerson reflects on her personal journey as a Chinese adoptee returning to her birth country—and how leading others on their own return trips has shaped her path.
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 2: The Weight of the Narrative
Explore Part 2 of The Ties Program’s Mental Health Awareness Month blog series, focusing on the unspoken adoptee stressor of “narrative burden.” Learn how adoptees and their loved ones often carry the weight of explaining their story—and how heritage travel, community, and emotional support can help lighten the load.
A Long-Awaited Journey Back to Ethiopia
Join us for the inaugural Ethiopian Ties trip this December. Program Manager Rebecca Blessing shares the heartfelt journey of how this long-awaited heritage experience for Ethiopian adoptees and their loved ones finally came to life.
Mental Health Awareness Month: Unspoken Adoptee Stressors — Part 1: The Ghost Kingdoms
Explore the hidden grief of adoptee “ghost kingdoms” in Part 1 of our Mental Health Awareness Month series on unspoken adoption stressors.
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