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Posted

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I know this is off topic subject but I am making a film and need your support!

What if our government kept a sealed record on your identity? Birth records are public information to most of the population, but to a few like myself, are sealed because we are adopted. Currently, I have no legal right to my original birth record, unlike every other person in New York State.

All My Life… “A Working Title” is a documentary that focuses on my own efforts to discover who my biological parents are. Nine years of endless searching has brought me nothing. I have spent thousands of dollars on private investigators, posted up and down the internet, and even approached strangers, all in an effort to find my biological family.

My whole history is contained in a manila folder, thirteen barely legible pages contain everything I know about my parents. When I was a child I would pour over those documents trying to get a picture or a feeling of what I am or who they were. I, like other adoptees, have always felt like something was missing. A piece of me is gone.

This documentary will focus on the stories of adoptees and the efforts to unseal records for all adult adoptees. It will also highlight a portion of our society that people know very little about. The end goal for this film is to raise awareness, update the public health laws and finally help me discover who I am.

All My Life… is the first feature written and directed by Jason Darnieder, and produced by Flower City Media.

Please donate $5, $10 or more to help me make my vision a reality. Make sure to use the social media links on the page to tell your friends & help me achieve my goal! When you donate to the film you will be invited to a party held on my birthday to celebrate our efforts.

Please goto:

All My Life...

PS There will be lots of ecig vapeing involved I am sure. & if you can not donate to my film please send it to someone who might be able to.

Jay

Posted

That sounds interesting. Will it include orphans who grew up in state orphanages?

It will include anyone who has an interesting perspective or story. So yes, if they want to be apart of the film.

If you know anyone who would be interested in being in the film have them email me: FlowerCityMedia@gmail.com

Posted

Whereas ARTICLE 1 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."

Whereas ARTICLE 2 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status."

Whereas ARTICLE 3 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person."

Whereas ARTICLE 4 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms."

Whereas ARTICLE 6 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law."

Whereas ARTICLE 7 of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS states, "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."

Whereas all Citizens - both adopted and non-adopted - are equal before the Law,

Posted

That's a great project. I will try to find something worth auctioning for your film. I'll see what I can find and any proceeds will be yours. Good luck with all your endeavors.

Posted

That's a great project. I will try to find something worth auctioning for your film. I'll see what I can find and any proceeds will be yours. Good luck with all your endeavors.

Thank you for your support! I am extremely amazed how many people have been will to do so much for this project. Thank you again.

I am also going to be auctioning off some of my items on ebay to support this film.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

That's a good promo video. Needing to know your genealogy for medical reasons is an interesting point. Is finding your parents as simple as the State typing into a computer but it won't because it doesn't recognize your right to know?

Posted

That's a good promo video. Needing to know your genealogy for medical reasons is an interesting point. Is finding your parents as simple as the State typing into a computer but it won't because it doesn't recognize your right to know?

IT is that simple. They have on file 2 birth certificates on me. The just need to unseal one of them.

Posted

That doesn't make sense. I don't see how you don't have a right to know where you came from. This may be a stupid question but would they have to unseal it if you ran for president?

Posted

That doesn't make sense. I don't see how you don't have a right to know where you came from. This may be a stupid question but would they have to unseal it if you ran for president?

Thats a good question which get into state vs federal law. Adoptee records are sealed through the state.

Posted

I'm not suggesting to run for president but it does seem like there has to be loopholes. There are always loopholes. If you can find a lawyer that is an adoptee then maybe you can find someone who knows those loopholes.

Posted

Have you spoken to a lawyer that specializes in this field? I am also adopted so I can understand why this would be so frustrating to you. Do your parents not have any information?

Posted

Have you spoken to a lawyer that specializes in this field? I am also adopted so I can understand why this would be so frustrating to you. Do your parents not have any information?

I have some friends that practice law. The only thing I could do would to petition a judge to open my records. This is very unlikely to happen and usually only happens in extreme cases were information is disparately needed.

My parents give me everything they have. All non identifying info.

How about you Christopher. You have a need to find your parents or have you found them?

Posted

Wow, coming from the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm very intrigued! My wife and I adopted out one of our sons. It wasn't your typical "We're too young, lets give him up" scenario, there was a lot more to it, but mainly a regretful decision, being very young and very naive about our situations.

Talk about life changing events, not a day goes by that I don't think about him with a heavy heart.

Your story is motivating. I have high hopes that he will be searching for us with the passion you have! We have lost all the information we had on the parents, and worse yet, the adoption agency has since closed down. After years, we've (temporary) given up searching. He'll be 16 in September. Two more years and the search will start again, LoL!

I really wish I had something to contribute to ya besides some hopeful motivation. Keep in mind, they're probably searching for you as well.

I'm looking forward to your results! Keep up the good work, and Good Luck!

Posted

Wow, coming from the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm very intrigued! My wife and I adopted out one of our sons. It wasn't your typical "We're too young, lets give him up" scenario, there was a lot more to it, but mainly a regretful decision, being very young and very naive about our situations.

Talk about life changing events, not a day goes by that I don't think about him with a heavy heart.

Your story is motivating. I have high hopes that he will be searching for us with the passion you have! We have lost all the information we had on the parents, and worse yet, the adoption agency has since closed down. After years, we've (temporary) given up searching. He'll be 16 in September. Two more years and the search will start again, LoL!

I really wish I had something to contribute to ya besides some hopeful motivation. Keep in mind, they're probably searching for you as well.

I'm looking forward to your results! Keep up the good work, and Good Luck!

Thank BigJim, wish you the best as well.

Posted

Okay - I always had something of an issue with this for two reasons, maybe someone can enlighten me.

I always picture that in some way this is could be hurtful to the adopting parents, are they not good enough, all the time they spent with you still leaves you wishing for something else, a "hole" to be filled?

Second point which I never understood is why look (besides the medical aspect). Hopefully everyone here has a sense of humor...but I saw a comic a while back, I think he was adopted and as he put it, "I took the hint and didn't search". Quickest way to make my second point.

Good luck to you.

Posted

I'm sure every case is different. This is something usually discussed before signing any papers. We made sure the couple we chose was ok with an open adoption. They also wanted us to write a letter of explanation to him, that they were going to give him at 13-14 years old. Usually adoptions are more worked out than ya might think. What makes all the difference, is how the child is raised. If the adoption parents choose to keep secrets and mysteries, they deserve the heart-break at 18 yrs. If they raise him properly, with enough love and stability, he won't break any hearts, and will know how to balance the situation.

On the other hand, I really hope they keep their end of the deal, and don't raise him to have the mentality of your second point Joe, LoL!

Like I said, it's all about how he's raised. Here's hoping.... :)

Posted

Please read between the lines here...Just another Jaded NYer but I think your motives are a tad off center, finding yourself comes from within you, not someone else...please read on...

I wish you well on your venture. This is gonna be a long one... I'm sure someone will tell me if I get to wordy on replies but this touches home to me as many of my family are (or have) children of adoption, foster, step's and half's.That includes now and as far back as when the N.W. corner of N.Y. was actually England...we've been here awhile. Including when 'The Orphan Train' rolled. Aroostook War, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madawaska_County,_New_Brunswick, http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/about/history/orphan-trains http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/ )

I am not adopted but as I've told every P.C. provider I've ever had...I am certain of only my Mom as I am/was a "dead ringer" for her. No reason to believe my Dad wasn't indeed my Dad but I do know thousands of women went to their grave never sharing the "unspeakable truth's" of yester-year. We do live in a very different time now. I believe you should have a right to detailed Medical info. Not sure how I feel about the whole truth being that I have seen first hand what has been found by adoptee's. I know when they did discover their feeder roots many, including my X and many other's found that a large number of 50's - 60's babies were not from a single parent/ well adjusted type of situation (Dad was not a Doctor just out of school, Mom was not a college student etc.). My dear cuz and I have always been close, she's asked me to help her before and I may have some roads in but am not willing to share with her yet as her adopted Mom (my Dad's sis) is still alive and though she say's she doesn't care...I can see in her eye's what her lips can not say. However my Ex M.I.L. wouldn't have given a hoot, it was all for the Church. Someone asked about the Adopted Mom's right's in here...well not like the topic was new/unexpected. My Neice has 2 from China, a daughter & son. No 2 situations are alike but the very balance of many in this situation depend on this subject being dealt with in a responsible manner. I think N.Y. has a place to register for info & if both the Family's and Child sign up then it'll go somewhere, this is a quick link for N.Y. http://adoption.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=adoption&cdn=parenting&tm=20&gps=453_362_1362_526&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&st=5&zu=http%3A//www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/vr/forms/registry.htm

I also went down the whole list of truths with Cuz about "how/why" a woman might give up a child (assuming she wasn't told the baby died at birth and she didn't know it hadn't). Some.... from economic hardships, addictions, not Mentally well (not mentally well family members!), Parental (birth GrandParent here) insistance to... one friend found out her Mom's Uncle was....well.....I'll leave the really bad one's to your imagination. You have to be prepared for anything if you are going to go looking and I do mean ANYTHING!

My X did o.k. in life, found out there were about 12 kids in the birth family. Many were given up for adoption, about half were as addicted to alcohol as the Dad. The Mom was mentally/emotionally between here and the clouds most of her life, both had crossed the Horizon when we found them. Funny thing was we had moved to a new city and had been living a half mile from them but didn't know it. He has since cut ties because all they call him for is money, he gave up privacy at the expense of curiousity he say's now.

Myself I believe in the "One World Tree" thing and would feel better informed with a $500.00 DNA test, a brother or sister by another father is still a brother or sister. Taking our family's Geanology back to the 1600's taught me many things, none more than "a picture is worth a thousand words" and Law 101 tells you..

Believe none of what your hear and half of what you see...

"Truth is not a one sided object"..... 'T's Papa'

Posted

On the other hand, I really hope they keep their end of the deal, and don't raise him to have the mentality of your second point Joe, LoL!

Like I said, it's all about how he's raised. Here's hoping.... :)

Well said...

Posted

Well said...

Al very valid points which have all crossed my mind long ago. My parents will always be my parents but my biological or second are also very important part in my history and future. I have meet many people who have found their bp's and it was not pretty. Sometimes its great and most of the time its just life on life's terms. By avoiding or covering up what you are does no one any good.

Posted

"You have to be prepared for anything if you are going to go looking and I do mean ANYTHING!"

Yes! Exactly that. Anything is already more that what I have.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

5 days left to help us reach $1,000 so we can apply for grants. If you have yet to check out the project please do so.

All My Life A Working Title is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of All My Life A Working Title are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

http://www.indiegogo.com/All-My-Life-A-Working-Title?a=28296&i=shlk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koiNTinBRTI&feature=player_embedded

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