In Honor of National Adoption Awareness Month

Hey Meltingpot Readers,

I'm sure some of you know that November is National Adoption Awareness month and maybe some of your don't. Some of you I know are adoptive parents and some of you may think you have no connection to the world of adoption at all. And I guess that's why this month was created, to make people aware that adoption exists, that it works for building families and probably to help remove the secrecy that formerly surrounded the practice. Or at least that's my take on it. By no means is the month supposed to make people run out to their nearest adoption agency and "place and order."

So to help those of you who might think they don't anyone who was/is adopted, I've decided to compile my own list of "famous" people who were adopted, paying particular attention to those in multicultural families. So in no particular order, these are the 'famous' folks that I know who were adopted and are leading or have led incredible lives.

1. Truman Capote The famous author of In Cold Blood was adopted by his Cuban stepfather. That's how got that lyrical last name. Sadly his macho Cuban stepfather never approved of Capote's somewhat feminine habits which made their relationship strained.)

2. Marcus Sammuelsson. The wildly successful Ethiopian born chef was adopted and raised in Sweeden. Samuelsson originally made his mark as a Swedish chef, but his sense "rediscovered his roots" and now stakes his claim on world cuisine. His newest restaurant venture is in Harlem and is called the Red Rooster

3. Mae Walker. The granddaughter and heiress to hair care entrepreneur and millionaire Madam CJ Walker was adopted at age thirteen.

4. Victoria Rowell. The now tripple threat Rowell is best known as a soap opera actress, but she's also now an author, documenting her childhood in a book called, The Women Who Raised Me.

5. Kim Sunee. The journalist and author of the delicious memoir, Trail of Crumbs.

Okay those are five off the top of my head. These are the people whose life stories inspire their extraordinary lives so I remember the adoption part of it. And so in a way, their adoptions touch my life. Who can you add to the list?

Peace.