October: Behind the Mask — The Truth About Belonging, Identity, and the Narratives We Navigate

This October, host April Dinwoodie explores the masks we wear — the ones we put on to belong, to stay safe, or to make others comfortable — and what happens when we start to take them off. Through the lens of adoption and identity, April reflects on how masking often begins as a form of protection and survival, especially for adopted persons navigating complex narratives about family and belonging. She also invites adoptive parents to look at their own patterns of masking and how curiosity, honesty, and empathy can help everyone in the family feel seen and safe enough to be real. With a special focus on transracial adoption, this episode examines the cultural tensions of the Halloween season — from costumes to cultural appropriation — and offers reflective questions to help families unmask with courage and compassion. Belonging begins with truth — and every time we unmask, we make it a little easier for someone else to do the same.