Blood's Call

Jenni Alpert (Birth name: Cameron/Cami) is a professional musician, singer and songwriter, born in Los Angeles, California and adopted out of the foster care system at age four. In our discussion, she shares the very unique story of her birth-family, and the equally unique way she's built a relationship with her birth-father, Don, also a musician. To find out more about her story and professional work, visit jennialpert.com/

Daniel Drennan ElAwar was born in Lebanon and adopted by an American family when he was one month old. In our discussion, he tells us about the search for his origins, the stigma of adopted children in Lebanon, and the roadblocks they come up against when they return as adults. He is an artist, and his essay, An Open Letter to Lebanon, is featured on the Blood's Call Website. You can read it HERE. To find out more about Daniel and his work, CLICK HERE to visit his blog.

In this episode, I speak with Nicola Lee, who only recently discovered she was donor conceived. In our heartfelt discussion, she talks about how she made the shocking discovery, her feelings about donor conception, and everything that's happened since she she learned the truth of her origins.

Writer and stage performer, Kevin Gladish, didn't discover he was adopted until age 43. In this episode, he tells us about the struggles of coming to terms with this discovery, his search for biological family, and how he is healing though art.

In this episode I speak with Andrew, who talks about his multi-pathed journey to finding family, starting with his mother, who gave birth to him in prison. We also discuss all the intersecting ways this subject has been a part of his life.

In this episode, I speak with James Straker, a trans-racial adoptee from South Korea, about his experience growing up in the States, his thoughts on the adoption system, and the current state of adoptee rights in this country.

Dexter Steele and Whitney Hutchings are siblings who found each other through DNA. In our conversation, we talk about their upbringings, and how religion and their families played a role in their reunion experience.

My guest in this episode, who wishes to remain anonymous, is both an adoptee and birth mother. She shares how she has dealt with childhood trauma and placing her first child for adoption, as well as what it was like to find her own birth family.

In this episode, I speak with Amanda Brown who tells us about meeting her biological father, and the emotional challenge of having to keep her existence a secret from his family.

In this episode, I speak with fire-fighter Rich Brown. Rich took a DNA test after his family refused to tell him who his father was. He tells us about his frustrations, and the surprises the DNA test revealed.

In episode 3, I speak with Jenna Montgomery, a high school teacher in Portland, Oregon. After taking a DNA test, Jenna found out the man she grew up with and loved, was not her biological father.

Episode 2 features yet another member of my family. Lauren is my cousin. Though I knew of her birth, I never knew what happened to her. Then just last year, 35 years later, I got a surprise email...

Blood's Call host, J.R. Rivero Kinsey, talks with her older brother, who was placed for adoption at birth by their mother.