LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A local group of Asian-American adoptees are using their past to connect with others who share a similar story.
Jane Rudnick and EmmaRose Strybel have been searching for familiar faces and friendships for the majority of their adult lives.
"I was really passionate about helping other adoptees because I'm also adopted," Rudnick said.
Rudnick was born in China and raised in Kentucky.
"I was adopted when I was six months old," Rudnick said. "My parents got me. My dad came and got me from China, in the Hunan Province."
Jane Rudnick, who was born in China, was adopted and raised in Kentucky. She started a Kentucky chapter of Adopteen, a nationwide non-profit to look for other Asian adoptees. (Submitted photo)
The 27-year-old now spends her time looking for other Asian adoptees.
"Learning about adoptees and their stories, because like, I have stories, things to share that I haven't learned from other people," Rudnick said.
Five months ago, she started a Kentucky chapter of Adopteen, a nationwide non-profit, 100% organized and led by adoptees for adoptees.
"We're just getting together telling other people to connect and just working with everybody and celebrating our culture really," Rudnick said.
Through social media, Rudnick found Strybel.
"I was adopted from my single parent mother. When I was six months old, I'm from Jiangxi, Province, China," Strybel said.
The 25-year-old just graduated from IU Southeast, and is getting ready to attend one of Rudnick's Adopteen social events. There are about 30 local members of the group so far.
EmmaRose Strybel is a part of the Kentucky chapter of Adopteen. (Submitted photo)
"I really enjoy it because I love getting to connect with a lot of different Asian adoptees getting to know what their background was like and then if we have like similar stories and how we went through tragedies and just loss of like family members," Strybel said.
The two, swapping hardships and lived experiences with others, providing support to generations of Asian-American adoptees.
"All of our stories are different, but also, they connect together," Strybel said.
Adoptees can join the Kentucky and Ohio chapter at their next event on the 27th of May. They'll be eating lunch and celebrating Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) at HARU, a Korean Restaurant in Cincinnati, from 12-1 p.m. HARU is located at 628 Vine St, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202. To RSVP for the event, click here.
Rudnick has also planned an event for June 10th from 1-3 p.m. at the Louisville Zoo. That's located at 1100 Trevilian Way Louisville, KY, 40213. To RSVP for the event, click here.
For notifications about the Kentucky's Adopteen chapter, you can join the group's Facebook page by clicking here. You can also search for their profile on Facebook. It's called Adopteen Northern KY Chapter. To get in contact with Rudnick directly, email adopteenky@gmail.com.
Men and women are welcome in the Kentucky chapter of Adopteen.
For more information about Adopteen, click here.
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