Dr. Tony Hynes shares groundbreaking research exploring how young, adult, Black interracial adoptees experience connection, identity, and belonging. Drawing from in-depth interviews across the U.S., this session examines the lived realities of adopted people and how race, family, and community shape well-being. As both an interracial adoptee raised in an LGBTQ+ headed household and a Ph.D. researcher, Tony brings unique insight to this critical topic. Author of The Son With Two Moms and featured in The Atlantic magazine, he reminds us: "Without activism, we fail to adjust the systems that have deemphasized the best interests of the child."

This session is for adopted people, adoptive parents, and professionals who need to understand these experiences beyond just racial identity—exploring what truly connects and disconnects adoptees from their families, peers, and communities.