What does the transition entail?

As of June 30, 2022, eight adoptive parent board members rotated off the Board of Directors to make way for Chinese adoptee board members and allow for the board to be managed primarily by Chinese adoptees. This new Board’s efforts will be directed by and centered around adoptees. While this transition will bring an adoptee-centered approach to the fore, we will have continued involvement of interested adoptive parents, and we will also develop some programs that include or are tailored for adoptive parents, families, and supporting communities.

We have been moving towards this new phase for a few years, in response to the shifting demographics and needs of our Chinese adoption community. Last year, we elected adoptees Lisa Gibson as President and Anna Cohen as Vice President, and added six adoptees to the Board of Directors. We also updated our Mission Statement to reflect this adoptee-centered approach.

This transformation of our organization will be an ongoing process, but we are excited that the transition in board leadership is our first big step forward! Please feel free to reach out to adopteeboard@fccny.org if you have any questions that are not answered here!

We invite you to fill out the brief survey linked below as part of our Chinese adoptive community and community at large to help inform the decision-making process for the organization name change, along with other aspects of the transition. The survey will remain open to submissions until August 20, 2022.

Why is the transition happening?

Since the founding of FCCNY in the 1990s, the Chinese adoptive community has shifted dramatically. In addition to supporting families with young adoptees, we now provide support and community for adoptees who are beginning their careers, starting families of their own, and exploring their own agency and voice. We have recognized the need to adapt with this changing community at a structural level. We believe that becoming a more adoptee-centered organization will better reflect and serve our community.

What were some of the previous changes involved in this transition?

Previous changes include the creation of the Adoptee Board (2017), the election of adoptees as President and Vice President (2021), the election of additional adoptees as Board members (2021), the revision of our Mission Statement that can be seen below (2021), and the departure of adoptive parent Board members (2022).

What are some of the future changes involved in this transition?

Future changes will include changing the organization name and logo, voting in an adoptee as Board Treasurer, revising our by-laws, and creating a new Board member application and onboarding process. 

Why change the organization name?

The new Board’s efforts will be directed by and centered around adoptees, and so the name should indicate this focus. We also would like to expand our service beyond the region of New York, and a name change will help facilitate this expansion. Additionally, we have received feedback from the community that “Families with Children from China” can be interpreted as infantilizing toward adoptees, many of whom are now adults 18+; we would like our name to move away from such language.

Does this transition only apply to the NY chapter of FCC? 

Yes, this transition only applies to FCCNY. FCCNY was the first organization for families that adopted children from China, but there has never been an official national organization, and each 'chapter’ that came after us was established and led entirely independently. 

With our name change, we will discontinue the use of “NY” or any other regional title.

Through the use of online platforms, we have been able to extend our community and reach. We hope to continue expanding and providing for our community on a global scale. We are proud to continue to lead the way in our community toward adoptee leadership and programming.

Will my membership status be affected?

No, you will not see any changes to your membership during this transitional period. Any future potential changes to membership will be announced separately. 

Will regular programming be affected?

During this immediate transitional period, in-person and online programming will be limited as we focus on making important organizational changes. Once completed, the organization will take a primarily adoptee-centered approach to programming, and will be directed by and centered around adoptees themselves. We will continue to support and develop some programs that include, or are tailored for, adoptive parents and families as well. We encourage the involvement of interested adoptive parents in helping with programming tailored to adoptive parents and families.

What will happen to Orphanage Assistance?

Our charitable initiatives in China with the Amity Foundation will continue for this year, and possibly beyond, if there is adoptee interest and effort in doing so. In line with our transition, we will take an adoptee-led approach.

Will adoptive parents still be involved?

Adoptive parents are encouraged to remain involved by supporting the organization and engaging in the community in several ways: joining and renewing membership, donating to our organization, contacting us to help facilitate an event they are interested in, attending events open to adoptive parents, and informing adoptees and supporters in their lives about our organization and offerings.

How can I get involved in the transition or show my support?

We are always excited to have new members of our community get involved! We welcome members to reach out to the Board with any programming or event ideas, or to voice feelings and opinions about the transition by reaching out to adopteeboard@fccny.org

You may also fill out this survey regarding the transition until August 20, 2022 and share it with other members of our community.

We welcome you to join in our enthusiasm and support for this new, historic transformation of our organization, and ask for your continued support through new or renewed membership during this period and beyond! 

We are an all-volunteer nonprofit 501(c)(3). Our board members in the past have included adoptive parents and adult adoptees. We bring a whole range of experience to the table (from law, to childhood development and psychology, to art, to marketing and fundraising, and more). At the moment, we are twelve active board members meet who about once a month, helping to conceive of and plan programs for adoptees and adoptive parents in the New York area and beyond. If you would like to get involved, do not hesitate to reach out to us! We are looking for more community members to get involved at whatever commitment level suits you - from board member to regional coordinator, from event volunteers to event attendees! Please take a look at this form and fill it out!

Board Bios

      

                

  

The mission of the FCCNY Adoptee Board is to advocate for Chinese adoptees. Guided by our own experiences, we aim to explore the evolving intersection of our Chinese, American, adoptee, and other personal identities. Through this lens we will bring representation to, and strengthen our relationship with, the wider adoption community. Through ongoing events and projects we will enable Chinese adoptees to share perspectives and engage in a productive environment.