Suzanne Johnson, "first waver" Korean adoptee, shares a different perspective of discrimination, injustice and immigration

Suzanne Johnson was born of Korean parents, somewhere in the Korean countryside, at sometime in 1966. Suzanne does not know her true birthdate. She explains why that is the case in this conversation. Suzanne is a "first waver" Korean adoptee, which means her adoption is directly tied to the aftermath of World War II. It is specifically tied to the Korean War since she was adopted in 1969. South Korea is the first country to allow mass adoption to other countries. At that time no laws existed to oversee the adoption process or to protect the children who were adopted. These adoptions were advocated by the Korean government and by foreign adoption agencies. American citizens Harry and Bertha Holt who adopted eight South Koreans in 1955,  facilitated Suzanne's 1969 adoption and later established Holt International Children’s Services adoption agency. Holt continues to facilitate international adoptions. Suzanne sees current political parallels with her birth country, Korea, and the United States. The current administrations threats and practices of mass deportation, the drive to end birthright citizenship and the failure of US legislation to protect adoptees retroactively, refusing to provide citizenship prior to 2001, in Suzanne's perspective, makes the South Korean diaspora relevant and compelling for all adoptees and immigrants, regardless or origin or ethnicity. Deported Adoptee's Death Heightens Calls for Citizenship Bill Phillip Clay, an adoptee from South Korea to the United States who was deported in 2012, was found dead on May 21. Adoptee deported from the US over lack of citizenship criticizes South Korea and agency Adam Crapser, an adoptee who was deported to South Korea in 2016 because his American parents never secured his citizenship Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe