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Unraveling Adoption

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Reclaiming a Stolen Childhood with Sandy White Hawk - Ep 94

May 22, 2023

Sandy White Hawk's heartbreaking story of being taken from her Native American family at a young age is a familiar tale, but her unexpected twist of reconnection will leave you in tears. From feelings of isolation to the overwhelming emotions of meeting her birth family, Sandy's journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of connection and the devastating impact of forced removal. Find out how Sandy is helping other Native American adoptees and formerly fostered individuals reconnect with their Native American roots too.

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In this episode, you will be able to:

  • Examine the long-lasting impact of Native American child removal policies on the psyche and well-being of members of Indigenous communities.

  • Acknowledge the value of cultural comprehension in drafting policies that respect diverse communities.

  • Encourage the prioritizing of family preservation in Indigenous communities.

  • Discover healing rituals that Sandy White Hawk helps facilitate for Native American individuals affected by adoption and foster care systems.

  • Learn about the necessity of enforcing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) to uphold the rights of Native American families.

My special guest is Sandy White Hawk

Sandy White Hawk is a Lakota adoptee who has been passionately advocating for the rights and well-being of Native American children and families for decades. This Minnesota-based powerhouse is the founder of the First Nations Repatriation Institute and has dedicated her life to helping others reconnect with their heritage. As a survivor of child removal herself, Sandy knows firsthand the devastating effects this practice can have on individuals and their communities. Her inspiring story has been featured in three documentaries and her powerful memoir, A Child of the Indian Race: a Story of Return. Sandy's extensive experience and commitment to this cause make her an invaluable resource for all of us who are interested in prioritizing family preservation in Native American communities and beyond.

 

Book cover of "A Child of the Indian Race: A Story of Return" by Sandy White Hawk

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The resources mentioned in this episode are:

 

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Other Resources:

 

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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

Email questions or comments to Beth@UnravelingAdoption.com

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Support UnravelingAdoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption

www.UnravelingAdoption.com

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Support for Adoptive Parents
Adoptive parents play an essential role in the healing and growth process for Native American children who have experienced separation from their birth families. Offering support to adoptive parents means providing access to resources and guidance, fostering cultural understanding, and assisting them in addressing the unique challenges they and the adoptees face. Adoptive parents must prioritize the cultural heritage and psychological well-being of their adopted child, and seek guidance when needed to meet these demands. Sandy White Hawk's insights and experiences in the episode highlight the importance of openness in adoption, particularly those who care for Native American children. She shared that her own adoptive mother denied Sandy's Native American heritage, causing significant emotional turmoil in her life. By offering support to adoptive parents and ensuring they understand the crucial role that cultural heritage plays in the lives of Native American adoptees, this cycle of trauma can be broken, and the healing journey can begin.

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a crucial federal law aimed at preserving Native American families and their cultural ties. Enacted in 1978, the ICWA is designed to protect the best interests of Native American children by acknowledging their unique cultural and social needs. A cornerstone of the ICWA is the establishment of a cultural heritage preference for adopting or fostering Native American children, meaning that a Native American family is preferred as the adoptive or foster home for a Native child. This prioritizes family ties and the importance of preserving cultural bonds. Sandy White Hawk mentioned the critical role of the ICWA in mitigating the systemic removal of Native American children from their families and communities. She expressed concern over the common non-compliance with the act and the lack of enforcement, emphasizing the need for stronger adherence to the law and understanding of its importance. Sandy believes the ICWA is a crucial step to recognize the rights of Native American families and ensure the respect and dignity they deserve.

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Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:02:59 - Childhood as a Transracial Adoptee,
Sandy shares her experiences growing up as a transracial adoptee and the challenges she faced, including physical and emotional abuse, and feeling isolated from her Indian heritage.

00:08:55 - Sandy's Adoption Story,
Sandy talks about her adoption and how she was taken from her family on the reservation by a white social worker when she was 18 months old. She shares that her birth family would have taken care of her if they could have, but the law at the time did not allow it.

00:13:33 - Impact on Birth Families,
Sandy discusses how adoption impacts not just the adoptee, but also the birth family who has to live with the loss of a family member. She talks about how important it is for adoptees to understand the impact of adoption on their birth families and to honor their stories.

00:19:55 - Healing and Repatriation,
Sandy shares about her work with the First Nations Repatriation Institute and the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, and how these organizations are helping to restore First Nations people to their homelands and heal from the trauma of forced removal and adoption.

00:14:07 - The Pain of Adoption,
Sandy describes the pain that birth mothers and adoptees carry. She talks about the lack of attention given to birth mothers and the need for a study on Native American birth moms. Sandy reveals the horrendous stories she has heard.

00:15:09 - Finding Belonging,
Sandy shares her experience of meeting relatives who took care of her as a baby. She talks about the importance of teasing in Indian culture and how it gives a sense of belonging. Sandy discusses the harmful idea that children should be taken out of poverty and put in a more privileged home.

00:18:00 - Reconnecting with Family,
Sandy talks about reuniting with her family at 36 years old. She describes the feeling of seeing her own face in her brother's and the importance of mirroring in child development. Sandy shares her struggle with identity as an adoptee and how reconnecting with her family allowed her to shed her white identity.

00:24:06 - Dealing with Adoptive Family,
Sandy discusses her relationship with her adoptive mother and how she opted not to see her when she was dying. She talks about the importance of taking care of oneself and not blaming others.

00:26:52 - First Nations Repatriation Institute,
Sandy talks about her organization, the First Nations Repatriation Institute, and the ceremonies they create for adoptees and formerly fostered individuals. She emphasizes the importance of healing and reconnecting with one's culture and family.

00:28:08 - Sandy's Vision,
Sandy shares her experience of having a vision after experiencing a ceremony for veterans. She shared her vision with an elder which led to the creation of a song and ceremony to welcome home adoptees and formerly fostered individuals.

00:37:41 - Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA),
Sandy talks about ICWA and its significance in preserving families and preventing the systematic removal of Native American children from their homes, villages, and communities. She also talks about the stipulations of ICWA and the challenges in enforcing it.

00:40:22 - Active Efforts in Social Work,
Sandy explains the concept of active efforts in social work and emphasizes the importance of helping families stay together by providing active support rather than just giving them tokens or numbers to recovery programs. She also talks about the importance of social workers having the right mindset and attitude towards their work.

00:41:44 - Working with Families in Crisis,
Sandy compares working with families in crisis to attending a deadly car accident and emphasizes the importance of social workers having empathy, patience, and the right mindset. She also talks about how social workers should go in pairs or more, just like EMTs, to ensure safety and support for everyone involved.

00:36:11 - Participating in a powwow ceremony,
Sandy talks about the protocol and cultural/spiritual significance of participating in a powwow gathering

00:42:41 - Policing vs. Healing Attitude towards Native Families,
Sandy discusses how social workers need to approach Native families with a healing attitude rather than a policing attitude. She emphasizes that Native families have intergenerational trauma that they are often not even aware of, and if social workers cannot wrap their heads around that, they should find another career.

00:44:11 - The Insidiousness of Adoption Today,
Sandy expresses her frustration with adoption today and how it is more about fulfilling the needs of adoptive parents rather than the well-being of the child. She advocates for a time of healing before opening the door for adoptees to search for their birth families and suggests that only adoptees and birth mothers should write the policies for adoption.

00:45:11 - Actionable Steps to Support Native Families in Adoption,
Sandy suggests that people can make a difference by calling their representatives and educating them about the Indian Child Welfare Act. She also encourages people to donate to her organization, the First Nations Repatriation Institute, which helps individuals find their birth families and releases adoption records.

00:47:53 - Unresolved Grief in Adoption,
Sandy discusses the importance of adoptive parents addressing their own unresolved grief before adopting a child. She believes that many adoptive situations stem from a child fulfilling a need of the parent, and emphasizes that this is toxic and puts a burden on the child.

00:55:28 - Support for Adoptive Parents,
Beth and Sandy discuss the importance of adoptive parents being open around the topics of race, heritage, culture, and birth families.