Take Action

To help your group make the transition from conversation to action, you might ask them to consider:

How would you fill in the blanks? "This evening I learned or I realized. . . . Now I will. . . ."

What is happening with adoption in my community? Which children are being adopted and which aren't? What are the obstacles to finding adoptive homes? What is the role of process or policy?

What is my role as a resident of this community? (You may want to have the group brainstorm a list of possible actions.)

Suggested activities:

Start a reading group. Pick a book that addresses issues raised in First Person Plural — self-identity, reconciling cultural differences, transracial adoption, acceptance and belonging in one's family — and let the film deepen your reading group's conversations.

Organize a writing workshop.

Partner with a local community group to host a discussion on the film and more general issues of race and identity. Invite a speaker from an international adoption agency and a speaker from a domestic adoption agency to compare the two processes.

Plan a time to sit down with your own family to talk about the film and how different cultures define "family."