Valerie Joseph received her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts in cultural anthropology where she researched the enduring legacies of British colonialism and African heritage memory among the members of the African diaspora di-asp-pora) in Carriacou (cara-coo), Grenada.

In her position as Smith College’s AEMES (AIMS) (Achieving Excellence in Math Engineering and Science) Mentoring Coordinator, Valerie is tasked with managing various programs supporting students pursuing study in STEM fields, especially students from underrepresented and marginalized populations. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

One of the most meaningful parts of her position involves coaching students, many of whom have contended with (among other things) racism and classism, as they confront additional stressors of re-racialization shock, imposter syndrome and stereotype threat. These last phenomena rear their ugly heads in an extremely stressful academic context in which some students experience – in very personal terms – wide disparities in wealth and cultural capital. Some of the students of color also experience racial entitlement and disrespect by their White peers.

Informed by her work as a movement therapist, mediator, social justice educator and anthropologist, Valerie works individually and with others in the Smith community to craft and facilitate meaningful interventions to assist talented, hard-working and deserving students to understand and fully know their worth and the rightfulness of their place at Smith and in the sciences.

Valerie’s work has expanded into creating opportunities for people to have important conversations about racism. She does this at Smith and privately through her company: Grounded Space Consulting where she offers an innovative model called Grounded Knowledge Panels. Valerie is also an adoptive mom who adopted an older child from the foster care system about a dozen years ago.

Sarah Gotowka is a visual artist currently living in Trumansburg. She is adopted Korean-Polish-Italian-American, and grew up in the suburbs of Rochester where she obsessively made mix tapes from 90’s radio airplay and built makeshift forts in the woods. (These factors alone have influenced her art practice immensely.) She received her BFA from The Cleveland Institute of Art majoring in Fiber and Material Studies in 2007, and graduated with an MFA from Concordia University’s Fiber and Material Practices in 2013.

After receiving her MFA she moved back to upstate New York and has collaborated with Cornell, Ithaca College, The Craftstitute, New Roots Charter School and The Johnson Museum of Art, giving various workshops on natural dye plants and textile practices. Thanks to Alternatives Federal Credit Union’s IDA program and grants from Sustainable Tompkins and the Community Arts Partnership, in 2016 Sarah was able to open Luna Fiber Studio a fully equipped weaving studio in downtown Trumansburg.

In 2016, with the help of close friends and fellow adult adoptees Carrie Freshour and Michael Stewart, Sarah held an event at Luna Fiber Studio for youth adoptees to connect through the process of art making. PAW (Painting Adoption Weekend) brought together families from foster care, kinship care, and international and domestic adoption, and fostered a community of young and adult adoptees. PAW was funded entirely by the Cornell’s Community Funding Partnership Board and was only possible thanks to the help of Emily Dong and other volunteers from Cornell and Ithaca College, some of who were also adoptees.

Realizing the power of PAW and how invaluable her friendships of adult adoptees were to her understanding of her identity, Sarah continues working to foster and support this community. Sarah serendipitously became part of the AFFCNY and AGAPE team from July of 2017 until 2021, and is now more than ever, dedicated to serving families who have been touched by adoption.

Chester Jackson is the AFFCNY helpline coordinator. He has twenty five years of experience in older child adoption, parent recruitment, training and support. Chester and Karin Jackson are parents of five children. The Jackson family consists of two biological children, two children adopted from foster care as teenagers and one son through legal guardianship. Chester is himself an informal late discovery adoptee.

McDonald Mandela Morris began working with the Coalition in November of 2018 after attending a support group for adult adoptees in Ithaca. Astonished by a trauma-informed approach to the support group, Mac made it his mission to learn more about the coalition and how he could connect with their mission.

His work experience spans youth education and LGBTQ organizing, camp based work, as both a teaching artist, camp counselor and program director – all in the not for profit world. He holds certifications in both Lifeguarding and Water Safety Instruction.

McDonald is currently an active board member of a non-profit grassroots organization that provides race and cultural awareness trainings, transitional planning and programs for racially marginalized populations in Ithaca. He works in youth development and programming with the Coalition as their Youth Programming Coordinator.

With a degree in creative writing and philosophy, his disciplinary focus, writings and performance have been on psycho-socio-political voyaging, trauma and recovery, somatic awareness, and kinesthetic play with an analysis of Race, Gender, Class and Sexuality as a foundation.

Born in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Mac is an adult adoptee, black queer performance artist, educator and movement enthusiast now based in Ithaca. His artistic, professional and philanthropic work emphasizes critical-consciousness and love as essential ingredients for empowerment, positive transformation, and optimal well-being. Despite a serious bio, he loves to laugh and kids of all ages are drawn to him, as well as birds, dogs, cats, and his handsome partner whom he loves dearly!

Alicia Murray has been a Family Support Specialist with the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® AGAPE team since 2023.

Alicia is delighted to be joining the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York in the position of Family Support Specialist with the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® AGAPE team. Alicia has years of experience in the areas of real estate, cosmetology, and child care. She holds degrees in Human Services and Psychology.

Being adopted herself, and a foster parent who is currently in the process of adopting two lovely children, Alicia’s experience will be invaluable in this field. She is confident that, together, we can provide exceptional support and services to the families in our care.