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The 2003 RegDay Brings Hope to those Dislocated in Orange County

The public is invited to learn more about the infringement on the rights of adopted persons throughout the United States. Persons dislocated through divorce, adoption and other forms of separation may choose to register with ISRR, a free mutual consent registry.

Location:

Borders Bookstore 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, CA., 92626

Time:

12:00 Noon - 9:00 PM

Hosts:

Ray Buffer, Actor, Film Producer and Adoptee Activist

Roberta McMillan, Film Producer and Writer (www.ratsandbullies.com)

Adele Mills, Artist - MFA, CalArts, whose master’s thesis focused on secrecy in a closed adoption system

On Saturday, October 4, 2003 the Adoptees’ Caucus for Truth along with Borders Books of Costa Mesa, will host Orange County’s RegDay 2003. RegDay is an annual event to promote the International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR)

ISRR is a free, non-profit mutual consent registry dedicated to reuniting adult family members separated by adoption, divorce, or other dislocation. Lauded in the nationally syndicated Dear Abby Column, the ISRR has reunited thousands of adults all over the world. Guests will be able to enter the registry by completing forms available at the event.

RegDay is organized by the Adoption Registration Coalition, a network of volunteers from various search and support, adoption reform, and adoptee rights activist groups.

For adopted people who wish to search for lost kin, state laws permanently sealing adoption records can make it that much more difficult if not, impossible. Original birth certificates are even sealed in cases of step-parent adoption. RegDay can be a source for information on a variety of records-access reform issues of interest to both the adoption and genealogy communities. Recent open records victories in Oregon and Alabama have helped to raise awareness of the need to make these personal government-held records available to those to whom they most intimately pertain. Unfortunately there remain 44 states that categorically deny adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates. With over 6 million adoptees in the U.S and countless other siblings, relatives, spouses, and friends affected, this topic is not only timely, but it is also universal.

Visitors to the South Coast Plaza Borders Bookstore location will be able to pick up information about search and reunion resources and have the option of signing a petition to create federal law that will allow all adult adoptees the same access as non-adoptees to their original birth certificates, regardless of which state they were born in.

Guests will also be able to see an exhibit of artist, Adele Mills’ work consisting of full-color, life size portrait depictions of birthmothers rendered by the artist using photographs of adoptees who volunteered for her study, and forensic techniques along with period research.