Trey Kay, Samantha Gattsek Published

Finding Your Family

UT famU&ily socials.png
Laurie Stern and with her adopted son Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay (formerly Diego Xicay Luke).
Morgan Feigal-Stickles
Listen

International adoption helped many Americans build families, but a dark side victimized poor people in developing countries.

The practice began in the 1950s to help Korean War orphans, and more than 70 years later hundreds of thousands of children born in other countries are part of a complex cultural legacy. By the early 2000s, corruption scandals scaled back or shut down programs in some of the most popular countries for adoption — South Korea, Romania, Russia, and Guatemala.

On this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay talks with Laurie Stern and her 24-year-old son about their adoption journey. Their podcast called “Defining Diego” chronicles Diego’s growing understanding of his Guatemalan legacy and family.

Changing social and geopolitical attitudes have made for a dramatic drop in the number of international adoptions — from more than 20,000 in 2004 to just about 3,000 in 2019. We’ll hear about that shift and how one young man finds his new name and his future, by looking back.

To listen to the complete podcast series, click on the hyperlinked title Defining Diego.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Laurie Stern and Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay

 

Courtesy
Laurie Stern (who has produced for Us & Them since the show started in 2015) with her adopted son Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay (formerly Diego Luke Xicay).
Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay with his family

 

Courtesy
Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay (formerly Diego Xicay Luke) with his birth family, adoptive parents, niece and nephew.

 

Rujuk-Xicay - Hockey

 

Dan Luke
/
Courtesy
Aa Tiko Rujux Xicay (formerly Diego Xicay Luke) has adopted a new name which reflects Guatemalan heritage. He proudly displays his new name on his hockey jersey.

 

Tags Related to This Article

Related News

Arts & Culture Trey Kay +,

Us & Them: Our Foster Care Crisis

Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News
Arts & Culture Mason Adams,

How Appalachian NASCAR Hall Of Famer Leonard Wood Reinvented Racing

Stock car racing’s roots run deep in Appalachia. Our twisty roads and dark hollers were home to moonshiners — and moonshine runners, who became known for their driving skills. And they became some of NASCAR’s first stars when it formed in 1948. But NASCAR’s oldest continuous racing team had nothing to do with moonshine.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News
Arts & Culture Matt Jackfert,

Silkroad Ensemble Brings Eclectic Stylings To W.Va.

WVPB's Matt Jackfert speaks with harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist. They discuss her compositions, the Silkroad Ensemble and the group's upcoming performance.

Continue Reading Take Me to More News
Arts & Culture Capri Cafaro,

W.Va. Couple Follows Passion For Woodwork By Building A Life And A Business Together

For Sue and Stan Jennings, woodworking isn’t just a way to make a living, it’s a way of life. What started out as a passion for the craft was born out of necessity. Over the last 30 years, the Jennings have developed a thriving business making wood objects called treenware — small wooden kitchen utensils. 

Continue Reading Take Me to More News