Rooted & Reaching:
Honoring the Collective Village
Rooted in where we come from: birth families, kinship ties, cultural identity, and the truth of our stories.
Reaching toward the possible: healed adoptees, empowered caregivers, and a Village that sustains itself.
Featured Speakers
Lived Experiences. Amplified Voices.
Come hear stories to encourge your journey.
Aaron Norfleet
Adoptee & Podcast Host
Dr. Adam Anthony
Dr. Alexándrea Evans Oneal
Adoptee & Adoption Advocate
April Dinwoodie
Adoptee & Podcast Host
Chauncey Strong, MSW
Damon Davis
Adoptee, Adoptive Parent, Author, & Podcast Host
"Lady Rosę" Cynthia Roberson
Adoptee
LaTika Jeffrey
Adopted Person, Adoption Professional, Advocate, Foster Care Alum, & Kinship
Dr. Lucretia "Cre" Taylor
Foster Care Alum & Kinship
Lydia Martin, MSW
Adopted Person & Counselor
Michael Davis-Thomas
Foster Care Alum, Juvenile Justice Advocate, Professional, & Podcast Host
Ronnie Jacobs, MEd
Adoptee, Podcast Host
Rosalyn Carter
Birth (First) Parent & Podcast Host
Stacey Gatlin
Taya Reed, MA, LPC-S
Dr. Teauania Charles
Teisha "Teish" Miles
Dr. Tony Hynes
Summit Agenda
NOVEMBER 7, 2026 | 10:00AM - 5:00 PM EST | ONLINE
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10:00 AM | Opening Remarks
Host: Stacey Gatlin, Yes We Adopt
Emcee: Damon L. Davis, Who Am I Really Podcast
Duration: 5 Minutes
10:15 AM | Keynote
Title: Reaching Back: How Black Male Adoptees Are Rewriting the Narrative
Speaker: Dr. Adam Anthony, EmpowerMENt
Duration: 45 Minutes
Format: Presentation
This keynote will center the lived experiences of Black male adoptees and the process of reclaiming our narratives—exploring identity, race, masculinity, belonging, faith, relationships, and the tension between the stories we are given and the stories we discover for ourselves.
The goal is not simply to talk about Black male adoptees, but to create space to consider what happens when Black male adoptees are empowered to name, examine, reclaim, and rewrite their own narratives.
11:00 AM | Village Networking
Speed networking
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: Breakout Session
Community doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by design.
The YWA Summit includes two protected Village Networking sessions, intentionally designed. In this session, you will be placed with others who share your place in the constellation — your identity-based community — so you can connect, without explanation and be fully known.
Rooted first. Reaching second. That is the Village.
11:30 AM | Session 1 | In Our Own Words: Black Male Adoptees
Title: In Our Own Words: Black Male Adoptees Speak
Speakers: Dr. Adam Anthony, Dr. Tony Hynes, Aaron Norfleet, & Ronnie Jacobs
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Panel Discussion
Black men who were adopted are ready to tell their truth — and it is time to listen.
A lively, facilitated panel creates a rare and powerful space for Black male adoptees to speak openly about identity, healing, belonging, and what they want the world to understand about their experience. Unscripted, unfiltered, and unforgettable.
12:30 PM | Session 2 | Rooted in Kinship: Navigating Kinship Adoption
Title: Rooted in Kinship: Navigating Kinship Adoption
Speakers: Damon L. Davis, Latika Jeffries & Teisha Miles
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Panel Discussion
What does it mean to be raised by family — and what happens when that story is rarely told?
Kinship adoptees and caregivers come together for an honest conversation about family formation through kinship care — the love, the complexity, and the identity questions that come with being raised by your own.
1:30 PM | Village Networking
Speed networking
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: Breakout Session
Some of the most powerful moments at the YWA Summit don’t happen during a panel.
In this session, the rooms are mixed. This is the Village in real time — different stories, different seats at the table, one shared commitment to understanding each other better.
Rooted first. Reaching second. That is the Village.
2:00 PM | Session 3 | Heard, Held & Healing: The Journey Forward
Title: Heard, Held & Healing: The Journey Forward
Speakers: Dr. Alexándrea Evans Oneal, Chauncey Strong, Lydia Martin, & Taya Reed
Duration: 60 MInutes
Format: Panel Discussion
Healing is not a destination; it is a journey. And you do not have to walk it alone.
An intimate and honest conversation about what healing actually looks like for adoptees and birth families — search, reunion, grief, joy, and what it means to move forward whole. Whether you are in the middle of your healing journey or just beginning, this session will meet you exactly where you are.
3:00 PM | Session 4 | Rooted in Resilience: From Foster Care to the Frontlines of Change
Title: Rooted in Resilience: From Foster Care to the Frontlines of Change
Speaker: Dr. Lucretia Taylor, Dr. Teaunania Charles, & Michael D. Davis-Thomas
Duration: 60 Minutes
Format: Panel Discussion
What happens when the children who needed a village grow up to build one? This conversation.
This session centers the voices of foster care alumni and advocates who turned lived experience into systems change. They will speak honestly about what the child welfare and juvenile justice systems get wrong, what Black and Brown children actually need, and how ordinary people — with or without a title — can become part of the solution. This is not a conversation about surviving the system. It is a conversation about transforming it.
4:00 PM | Artistic Expression
Artist: Lady Rose
Duration: 10 minutes
Format: Live Performance
4:10 PM | Session 5 | Constellation Conversation
Title: Constellation Conversation
Speaker: April Dinwoodie, Rosalyn Carter, & Stacey Gatlin
Duration: 45 Minutes
Format: Panel Discussion
We come from different places in this story but we share one Village.
This is the signature closing conversation of every Yes We Adopt Summit. Every part of the adoption constellation — adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, and advocates — at the table together in one conversation, with one shared commitment: to tell the truth and take care of each other.
4:55 PM | Closing Remarks
Host: Stacey Gatlin, Yes We Adopt
Emcee: Damon L. Davis, Who Am I Really Podcast
Duration: 5 Minutes
What Our Community Says
“YWA uniquely brings out the voices and experiences of everyone along the Black adoption continuum. It’s a safe space to be seen, heard, and find healing.”
“It was refreshing to see an entire conference with people who look like me and have a heart to adopt. I'm usually in the minority. Thank you for this space!”
“I was able to meet with my internet friends/adoptee committee!”
"The importance of sharing the truth with my son and providing him with as much information on his birth family as possible."
"Be 100% honest with your adopted child. Do not hide the adoption from them. Offer all information about their birth parent."
"One key takeaway that helped me immediately was how to tell my son his adoption was from a hard place. I loved the advice to not say that his birth parents loved him enough to give him a new life. I never thought that could cause anxiety for him."
"I have pages of notes on each panel. Loved the transparency of the adoptive mothers."
"There is uniqueness in all stories. The Black experience is like none other. All voices of the triad are valuable and need to be heard."
“Having only met the day before, I am so thankful that I was ready to receive Stacey’s inviting and healing energy! The conference content only expanded that energy with a perfect blend of topics, storytelling, and comforting acceptance of the unique yet similar journeys within the adoption constellation.”
“Birth mothers experience trauma. Made me reconsider my conversations with my birth mother.”
“The importance of sharing the truth with my son and providing him with as much information on his birth family as possible.”
"I am a white female who works for a private adoption agency. We have long felt a need to have my adoptive black families in our program and this summit has confirmed that it is our RESPONSIBILITY to have black families to show our black BMs."
"I loved the intentionality of having individuals from many different aspects of the constellation being a part of the conversation. This is one of the most well-rounded conferences I have been to in this respect."
"I have never attended anything like this before. This has been an awesome summit!"
“The YWA Summit is always a powerful time of trust, testimony and care. I’m not within the constellation but have gleaned so much from the community. I’m always better following the experience.”
“It was my honor to share and to meet Our Family, which we are. We are in this together. There is an African saying: Ubuntu, it means, I Am Because We Are”
"Keep doing what you’re doing. This is the blueprint of how things should be when dealing with this subject."
"As a prospective adoptive parent, my job is to acknowledge and hold space for the loss and trauma connected to adoption....and to listen."
"Learning more about black parents that adopt and their motivations and how they have been doing it successfully."
"This was so timely and necessary. Thank you for having every aspect of the triad represented and allowing them the freedom to speak their truth. May God continue to bless you!"
"We do adopt, but there's definitely room for more black voices in the adoption world."
Aaron Norfleet
Adoptee & Podcast Host
Aaron Norfleet is a dedicated professional, father, husband, and storyteller whose life has been shaped by family, perseverance, and the power of connection.
Adopted at just five months old in Connecticut, Aaron moved with his family to Florida shortly afterward and later relocated to Georgia in 1995. He graduated in 2007 and went on to build a career centered around operations, leadership, and supporting others.
Family remains one of the most important parts of Aaron’s life. He is a proud father to his daughter and values the relationships and experiences that have shaped him.
Aaron’s adoption story took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he began exploring his ancestry. In 2020, he discovered that he had a brother, leading to an emotional first meeting in 2021. That experience deepened his understanding of identity, family, and belonging. They now co-host a podcast, "Firepit Conversations".
Outside of work and family, Aaron is passionate about football, music, and storytelling. A devoted Florida Gators fan, he also uses social media and podcasting to share authentic experiences, especially around adoption, family, and the moments that connect us all.
Adam Anthony, EdD
Alexándrea Evans Oneal, PsyD
Dr. Alexándrea Evans Oneal, known as Dr. A, is a clinician, researcher, speaker, and adoptee advocate who brings professional insight and lived experience to conversations about adoption, identity, and belonging. As a Black, multiracial, same-race adoptee, she is passionate about making room for overlooked stories, particularly those of Black adoptees and people raised in kinship families.
Dr. A has over 20 years of experience working with children and families in need. She graduated from Spelman College with a BS in Psychology and Child Development before returning home to the Bay Area to earn her doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Her work explores how adoption, family relationships, grief, and trauma shape how people understand themselves and connect with others. She believes support begins with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to ask questions beyond familiar adoption narratives.
Through her research, speaking, and podcast, Unasked Questions, Dr. A creates space for honest conversations about family, mental health, and belonging. She helps adoptees feel seen while encouraging families and professionals to listen deeply.
At the heart of her work is a commitment to making space for difficult questions and reminding people that their stories, needs, and voices deserve to be heard with dignity and care.
April Dinwoodie
April Dinwoodie is a nationally recognized thought leader, speaker, and strategist operating at the critical intersection of identity, race, adoption, and culture. Drawing from her lived experience as a transracially adopted person and senior executive leadership across global consumer brands, she equips organizations, families, and communities with practical frameworks to navigate difference and foster authentic belonging. April currently leads DEIB strategy at Steve Madden, LTD, serves as Executive Director of Together on the Journey, and consults on national child welfare initiatives. She is the founder of Adoptment, a mentoring program for adopted youth, as well as the creator and host of the acclaimed podcasts Born in June, Raised in April, and Calendar Conversations.
Chauncey Strong, MSW
Chauncey Strong, MSW, is Executive Director of Strong Training and Consulting LLC. A passionate speaker, trainer, and child welfare advocate, Chauncey has over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors for child welfare.
Chauncey’s personal journey, including lived experience in foster care and as an adoptee, gives him an unwavering commitment to the field. He focuses on family engagement, youth voice, and permanency for all children and youth. He has trained and consulted nationally, serving on numerous local and national boards.
His lifelong dedication to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families in the child welfare system reflects his deep personal and professional commitment to creating lasting, positive change in the lives of those he serves.
Damon Davis
Damon is the host of the "Who Am I Really?" podcast, where adopted people share their stories of adoption and their attempts to find their birth families. He has interviewed nearly 300 adoptees over 9 years, capturing a wide spectrum of experiences, from challenging adoptions and incredible reunions to uplifting adoptions and unfortunate reunions.
In his autobiography, "Who Am I Really? - An Adoptee Memoir," Damon shares his own journey to becoming an adoptive parent and his emotions over the birth of his son, Seth. He opens up about the heartbreak of grappling with his adoptive mother's mental illness while balancing the joy of locating his birth mother, who worked nearby. Damon’s reunion journey took an unexpected twist when he located his biological father via DNA testing.
"Lady Rose" Cynthia Roberson
Adoptee
Cynthia “Lady Rose” Roberson is an author, educator, librarian, U.S. Army veteran, singer-songwriter, and founder and CEO of RITTA BOOK USA LLC, an arts-integrated literacy company dedicated to inspiring children through music, imagination, knowledge, and authentic learning.
LaTika Jeffrey
Adopted Person, Adoption Professional, Advocate, Foster Care Alum, & Kinship
La Tika Jeffery knows what happens when systems make life changing decisions for young people without truly listening to them, because she lived it. Now, as a Youth Transition Strategist and Youth Engagement Consultant, she helps organizations uncover the gaps between what their programs promise and what young people actually experience. Bringing the perspective of an individual with foster care experience, adoptee, caregiver, and child welfare professional, La Tika asks the questions most systems avoid and helps turn the answers into meaningful change.
Lucretia "Cre" Taylor, PhD
Foster Care Alum & Kinship
Dr. Lucretia “Cre” Taylor is a strategist and consultant with more than 20 years of experience guiding organizations to move from vision to impact. Her expertise spans strategic planning, program design, evaluation, organizational development, and capacity building—always rooted in advancing equity, healing, and access for historically marginalized communities. What sets Dr. Cre apart is her ability to make data come alive, helping leaders use evaluation and data storytelling not just to measure success, but to clarify strategy, strengthen programs, and inspire action. Recognized by PBS as an American Champion for her contributions to community transformation, she is a sought-after speaker known for bringing clarity, care, and practicality to complex conversations.
Lydia Martin, MSW
Adopted Person, Counselor
Lydia Martin, MSW, is an adult transracial adoptee, former adoption professional, social worker, and speaker.
Born and raised in Michigan, Lydia spent much of her childhood navigating the complexities of her racial identity, alongside the grief and loss that come with adoption. Over the past ten-plus years, she has intentionally explored the lifelong impact of adoption while reclaiming her racial identity. Her personal journey has become the catalyst for her advocacy, both personally and professionally.
Lydia began her career working with children and families full-time as a permanency and adoption caseworker, and part-time as a supervisor at a group home for teen mothers. These experiences deepened her understanding of the child welfare system and the nuanced realities of adoption.
She is passionate about giving language to adoptees who may struggle to articulate their feelings regarding their adoption. While challenging and supporting adoptive parents in acknowledging the grief and loss that accompany family separation.
Michael Davis-Thomas
Former Youth from Foster Care, Juvenile Justice Advocate, Professional, Podcast Host
Michael D. Davis-Thomas is a nationally recognized lived experience leader, systems change strategist, author, speaker, and Founder and CEO of MDDTSpeaks Holdings, Inc. With lived expertise spanning foster care and juvenile justice, Michael has transformed his experiences across more than 20 placements into a career advancing structural accountability, ethical power sharing, healing-centered leadership, and meaningful youth and family engagement. He serves as Chair of the Michigan Juvenile Justice Advisory Council and contributes to state and national efforts across child welfare and juvenile justice. His work brings lived expertise into direct conversation with policy, practice, research, and institutional leadership. Michael is also the founder and host of Resilient Voices & Beyond Podcast and author of Resilient Faith: Devotionals for Life’s Journey. Across every platform, he works to move systems beyond inviting lived experience to the table toward sharing power with the people most affected by their decisions.
Ronnie Jacobs, MEd
Ronnie Jacobs is an educator, mental health counseling professional, and passionate storyteller dedicated to fostering meaningful conversations about identity, family, personal growth, and human connection.
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and raised in Akron, Ohio, Ronnie relocated to South Carolina to attend Charleston Southern University, where he began building the foundation for his educational and professional journey. He holds master’s degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Secondary Education, reflecting his commitment to both personal wellness and lifelong learning.
Ronnie is also the co-host of Firepit Conversations, a podcast inspired by his extraordinary journey of adoption, discovery, and reunion. Adopted separately from birth, Ronnie and his biological brother reconnected after more than 30 years apart through AncestryDNA. Their experience transformed a lifelong search for answers into a powerful story of resilience, identity, and brotherhood.
Through authentic dialogue, Ronnie creates space for conversations that challenge perspectives, encourage vulnerability, and empower individuals to embrace their personal stories. He is particularly passionate about raising awareness of the adoptee experience and helping others navigate the complexities of identity, belonging, and family reunification.
Whether speaking about education, mental wellness, or the transformative power of human connection, Ronnie brings authenticity, compassion, and lived experience to every conversation, inspiring audiences to reflect, connect, and discover the stories that shape who they are.
Rosalyn Carter
Birth (First) Parent & Podcast Host
Rosalyn Carter was 16 years old and pregnant with a baby girl she named Deana Marie. She had to give away her daughter for adoption in October 1970. It was not her choice, but her parents’ decision. When her daughter was adopted, her new parents renamed her Taya. She thought about her all the time and prayed her daughter would find her. That day finally came in 2006 when her daughter sent a letter. She fell on her knees, thanking God for answering her prayers.
Rosalyn and her daughter have been reunited ever since and spend quality time together. They live in different states and look forward to seeing each other every year. They created and co-host the “I Found Her” podcast where they discuss all things adoption and reunion, but with a twist!
Stacey Gatlin
Stacey M. Gatlin is the founder of Yes We Adopt, a platform that supports Black individuals and families connected to adoption or foster care through honest education, community care, and collective healing. A servant leader and advocate, Stacey’s work is shaped by lived experience, compelling her to challenge harmful stereotypes and dominant narratives surrounding Black adoption and foster care.
Through Yes We Adopt, Stacey centers adoptees, fostered persons, and first families while equipping caregivers to engage adoption with courage, humility, and accountability. Her work holds both the complexity and humanity of adoption and foster care, while naming the systemic realities that disproportionately impact Black families. She reframes family preservation as both prevention and connection, advocating for families to remain together whenever safely possible and honoring family ties when separation has occurred.
Stacey created the Yes We Adopt: Black Voices Amplified Summit, an annual event that elevates voices across the adoption constellation through education and advocacy. She also serves as a Board Member of Adoption Knowledge Affiliates (AKA) and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in New Jersey.
She speaks on adoption, identity, family preservation, parenting without perfection, and courageous conversations for collective healing.
Taya Reed, MA, LPC-S
Taya Reed, M.A., LPC-S, is a same-race domestic adoptee, licensed therapist, and author of Build Your Sound House: A Guided Journal to Explore, Heal, and Honor Your Adoptee Journey. Adopted during the Baby Scoop Era, Taya grew up navigating questions about her own origins, family narratives, and cultural inheritance. Her search and reunion with her first parents deepened her commitment to making space for the full range of adoptee experiences.
Taya is the owner of Sound House Therapy, PLLC, a board member with Adoption Knowledge Affiliates, and former co-host of the podcast I Found Her with her first mother, Roz. In her writing and speaking, she centers adoptee voices and invites conversations about identity, belonging, grief, and healing across the lifespan.
Teauania Charles, DSW, LCSW-S, CFSW
Dr. Teauania Charles is a Licensed Clinical Social Work Supervisor and Certified Financial Social Worker licensed in six states. Dr. Charles is the founder and owner of Calliope’s Corner, a private practice committed to helping individuals break generational cycles related to mental health, financial wellness, and education. Through her clinical work, she supports individuals in navigating life transitions, relationships, emotional wellness, and the patterns that can affect individual and generational well-being.
She is also the founder of The A.N.C.H.O.R. Collaborative for Youth Advancement, a developing nonprofit created to expand opportunities for youth, particularly those with foster care experience. Through A.N.C.H.O.R., Dr. Charles is building a community-centered organization designed to connect young people with mentorship, educational support, mental health and wellness resources, leadership development, and pathways toward long-term success. Her vision is to create a network of relationships and opportunities that helps young people recognize their potential, strengthen their support systems, and move confidently into adulthood.
In addition to her entrepreneurial and nonprofit work, Dr. Charles currently serves as Director of Membership and Communications for the National Association of Social Workers California, Hawaiʻi & Nevada Chapter, founding president of the San Antonio Regional Association of Black Social Workers, and a leader within her local chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Charles earned a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services from Kansas State University, a Master of Social Work from Wichita State University, and a Doctor of Social Work from Simmons University. Across her roles as a clinician, educator, supervisor, organizational leader, and founder, she remains committed to creating spaces, systems, and opportunities that help individuals and communities move beyond survival and toward sustained growth, wellness, and possibility.
Teisha "Teish" Miles
Teisha "Teish" Miles is the founder of Adopted Black Girl, a blog and digital community for women and girls who have experienced adoption or foster care. A kinship adoptee and the youngest of seven, Teish speaks about identity, belonging, and healing from lived experience, and she doesn't soften the hard parts to make them easier to hear. Her work centers one idea: that people shaped by adoption and care deserve spaces where they're seen as whole, not as a case study. Through her "practicing" series, she shows what growing into yourself actually looks like, messy and in progress.
Teisha holds an M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Management, which shapes how she talks about family, identity, and the tension that can live between them. Off the page, she's a coffee lover and a higher ed professional with nearly a decade in student affairs.
Tony Hynes, PhD
Tony Hynes, PhD, is an author, researcher, and nationally recognized educator whose work explores adoption, race, family, and belonging in the United States. A Black interracial adoptee, Hynes earned his doctorate in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where his research examined social connectedness among adult Black interracial adoptees. He is the Training and Content Development Specialist at the Center for Adoption Support and Education. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, and he is the author of The Son With Two Moms, which has been cited in the DC family court system to inform best practices.