Labor of Love: A Podcast for BIPOC Adoptees Navigating Parenthood

Jessica M. Luciere, Colombian adoptee in reunion, generously shares her unique perspective as a long-time professional adoptee mentor/advocate and mother of two young children. An only child with adoptive parents who passed away, Jessica has the complex experience of witnessing her children forge life-long relationships with her Colombian family and not the Italian American parents who raised her. She reminds us of the importance of letting our kids have their own experiences outside of our losses, projections, and grief from adoption, and that the lines of healing across and through relationships are often not linear or exactly reciprocal. Jessica models deep commitment to the adoptee community through her professional work while balancing the sacred work of mothering, partnership and self-care.

Show Notes

Jessica M. Luciere, Colombian adoptee in reunion, generously shares her unique perspective as a long-time professional adoptee mentor/advocate and mother of two young children. An only child with adoptive parents who passed away, Jessica has the complex experience of witnessing her children forge life-long relationships with her Colombian family and not the Italian American parents who raised her. She reminds us of the importance of letting our kids have their own experiences outside of our losses, projections, and grief from adoption, and that the lines of healing across and through relationships are often not linear or exactly reciprocal. Jessica models deep commitment to the adoptee community through her professional work while balancing the sacred work of mothering, partnership and self-care.

Jessica M. Luciere Bio
Jessica M. Luciere, is a transracial adoptee, in reunion for the past 17 years, born in Bogota, Colombia who grew up in Long Island, New York as an only child in an Italian-American home. Jessica is a wife and mother to two young kids. She identifies as an Adoptee Advocate, working to create supportive spaces for adoptees and their families around the world, and currently the Manager of Community Engagements at Spence-Chapin. Jessica was one of the founding mentors in 2005, of Spence-Chapin’s NYC Teen Mentorship program which connects tween and teen adoptees with adult adoptee mentors, in a monthly group mentoring program, she is also the former President of All Together Now, based in Brooklyn NY, and has worked with AFFCNY. Jessica’s passion for connecting with adoptees and their families has always been the driving force in her work and is the reason she continues to create spaces for adoptee stories and voices to be heard by all.

Co-Hosts: Nari Baker & Robyn Park
Music: Mike Marlatt & Paul Gulledge
Editing: Federico aka mixinghacks
Artwork: Dalhe Kim

Listen on: iTunes & Spotify
Instagram: @laboroflovepodcast
Venmo: @laboroflovepodcast

What is Labor of Love: A Podcast for BIPOC Adoptees Navigating Parenthood?

Labor of Love is a podcast that centers and amplifies the voices of BIPOC adoptees navigating parenthood. In this space, we connect with and gather the wisdom of contemplating, expecting, new, and experienced adoptee parents of color. We talk fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth and delivery, postpartum and beyond, all from an adoptee perspective. We believe our community needs and deserves more resources for the beautiful and challenging journey of being a BIPOC adoptee parent. This podcast is one of our contributions to our community. Thank you for joining us and tuning in.

Co-Hosts: Nari Baker & Robyn Park
Music: Mike Marlatt & Paul Gulledge
Editing: Federico aka mixinghacks
Artwork: Dalhe Kim

Listen on: iTunes & Spotify
Instagram: @laboroflovepodcast
Venmo: @laboroflovepodcast