Join Also-Known-As and Megan Rakos [tag: @lovesupay], for an intimate evening of craft and conversation. Megan is adopted from Peru and an artist whose work uncovers themes of self-discovery, heritage, and the intricate ties between past and future.
Participants will use collage-making to produce a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork as a way to connect with heritage and themselves. Art making can be a powerful tool to work through and process complex trauma and build connections within yourself and others. No experience is necessary, just a desire to create and be in community with other adoptees! Some materials will be provided. Please bring your own scissors and any inspiration (cultural or otherwise), and/or a craft item to share with the group.
Come celebrate the coming of Spring with Also-Known-As in the Jersey ‘Koreatown’, Fort Lee! Make new friends, nosh on great eats, and…oh yeah…grab a cold brew (NA even). Can’t wait to see you there!
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Bonnie Vee, 17 Stanton Street, Lower East Side, NYC
Come break up the mid-winter blahs with new friends, a few spirited (or NA) drinks, and frosty cheer. Our happy hours are great for newcomers—come solo or bring a friend!
Join us at warm and spacious cocktail spot Bonnie Vee (conveniently located off Bowery) for happy hour specials on drinks and snacks, all the way until 8 pm. Enjoy a full bar, mocktails, and BV's comfy covered patio space, along with lively conversation among fellow community members.
Relationships can be difficult, and adding adoption into the mix adds an extra layer of complexity. How do we approach relationships, both platonic and romantic, as an adoptee? What are your experiences in navigating relationships with your adopted family? For those in reunion, how do you approach your relationship with your birth family? What are your thoughts on interracial dating? How does your attachment style feed into navigating relationships as an adoptee? Please join us to discuss the subject of navigating relationships as an adoptee.
New World Mall: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11354 (basement floor) - enter New World Mall and go DOWN the escalator. We will try to grab a table or two near one another near the escalators. Please note service is extremely limited to nonexistent in the basement.
✨ Celebrate the Lunar New Year with us! 🎉 Join us as we honor the Year of the Snake with delicious food, lively traditions, and joyful togetherness in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the US: Flushing (Queens) NY! We will head down to the New World Mall food court in Flushing for a day of eating as we savor the New Year with warmth, community, and full bellies! 🌙✨
In-Person (134 West 29th St 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001)
✨🌍 Cultural Roots Quest 🗣️
We invite you to our first event of the year — join community members who have personally returned to their birth countries seeking to learn more about their cultural and biological roots. Our panelists are from Hong Kong, Paraguay and South Korea and have vastly different experiences, and during this intimate conversation we’ll learn more about their lived experiences, engagement with their birth country cultures and what pieces of advice they may have for adoptees looking to conduct a birth family search.
Karaoke City (22 W 32nd Street. 7th Floor. New York, NY 10001)
Join us for a night of gathering, delicious food, raffles and karaoke as we raise a glass to 2024. Come one, come all! Everyone is welcome. Whether it's your first holiday party or your 28th, we're excited to get in the festive spirit with you. Also stay tuned for details to an after party at another one of our favorite spots!
🥘 Food Catered by Bulbap Grill
🎟️ RSVP: Required to help us plan effectively! Click here to register!
Cost: Free for members | $45 for non-members
Payment options include: Paypal or Venmo (@also-known-as)
Not a member yet? Join us.
Not sure if you're a member? Email membership@alsoknownas.org.
🎶 Let’s ring (and sing) in the new year. You’re not going to want to miss this one!
TapHaus 33 (14 E 33rd St, New York, NY 10016)
Join us for a tried and true happy hour location in November at Taphaus 33! HH deals include $25 AYCD beers until 8pm.
😁No RSVP is required! We welcome all new and returning faces.
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Join us on November 7th for an evening of healing and connection. Amanda Sparso, Chinese adoptee and certified Reiki practitioner, will lead an intimate adoptee-only group Reiki circle. This special event is all about clearing out what no longer serves us and grounding ourselves before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
🧘♀️ Come in comfy clothes and get ready for introductions, mindfulness practices, a soothing group Reiki session, and a heartfelt closing circle where we can share and reflect together.
For more information about Amanda Sparso, please visit her website at www.amandasparso.com.
Discover the powerful narrative of identity and belonging at our upcoming reading and discussion featuring Sarah Myer, the acclaimed author of Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story. This event promises an engaging exploration into Sarah's personal journey through transracial adoption.
Sarah will share excerpts from their Eisner-nominated graphic memoir, lending insight into the creation and themes of the novel, which has earned accolades such as the ILA Young Adult NonFiction Winner and Kirkus Best Teen & YA Graphic Literature of 2023.
A Q&A session will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about Sarah's experiences and artistic process and discuss directly with the author. Afterward, meet fellow attendees and have your copy of Monstrous signed by Sarah. (Copies will be available for purchase.)
About the Title
Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story vividly captures Sarah Myer's experience as a Korean-American adoptee in a predominantly white community. The memoir portrays the loneliness and identity struggles Sarah faces due to racism and bullying, which are exacerbated by their lack of connection to their birth parents23. Through art, anime, and cosplay, Sarah finds a means of self-expression and escape, though they still grapple with feelings of being an outsider.
