New York Adoptee Equality (NYAE) informed us this morning that they have left the coalition. Genuine and meaningful coalition work is extremely difficult. It involves multiple strong opinions and positions of organizations that have often disagreed on various issues and strategies over time. Nevertheless, true coalitions always have one unifying objective, and NYARC’s objective has been crystal clear from the beginning: restore the right of all New York adoptees to request and obtain their original birth certificates, without conditions or restrictions.
All the member organizations signed a commitment to that goal before joining, including NYAE. Most recently, we worked together to draft and approve a statement of positions on all then-pending New York adoptee rights bills. NYAE specifically agreed to those positions and statements; however, we understand now that NYAE’s opinion on these positions has changed and that they feel it is necessary to withdraw. We wish NYAE well as it moves forward on its own path.
The four New York and national core organizations of the coalition continue to work together on the legislative and public work of fighting for adoptee rights, as do New York adoptees and allies who support us. That work continues, and we also look forward to expanding our supporters and strategic partners, such as Reclaim the Records, who joined us this past week.
If you have any questions about NYARC positions, strategy, or work, please contact us directly at [email protected]. We anticipate no further statements about NYAE’s resignation from the coalition. Our work simply continues, and it continues not through one single member but through a coalition of organizations that have committed collectively to a single goal: equality for all adoptees.
Annette O’Connell and Barbara Fuller
New York Adoptees and Co-Spokespersons for NYARC
Wait a minute, do you mean you’re *not* working for full equality for adoptees and their descendants to access their (or their ancestors’) Original Birth Certificates?
NYARC supports the Avella Bill, which provides access to the adoptee, the adoptee’s descendants, or the lawful representative of the adoptee. The specific provision in the Avella Bill provides:
Hi. I am very concerned about this. I agree with the goals of unrestricted access, but I am also very concerned about all three bills being blown up.
My concerns include how to productively engage Weinstein’s office. As the historical leader of the opposition to any access at all, no progress will be made on this unless she is engaged.
Can we find other providers to provide support including adoption agencies, attorneys and groups that support biological parents so that one strong message can be sent out
That’s one primary purpose of a coalition: bringing organizations together that may not normally work collectively for any number of reasons: specific missions of each organization, territoriality, competition for funding, or—especially among adoptee advocates—differing opinions and strategies, and strong differences at that.
NYARC has worked hard to form a coalition that now represents New York adoptees directly as well as many true allies indirectly, whether birthparents, adoptive parents, attorneys, social workers, etc. AFFCNY and AAC are good examples, as they have missions that may be broader than adoptee rights but they understand the issue and have committed to support only unconditional access to the OBC. Strategic partners can bring added expertise and experience to our efforts, such as Reclaim the Records, which will provide incredible advice and direction on how to obtain vital records and what, in the end, constitutes equality for adoptees in getting those records. And we continue to build on what we already have.
The day-t0-day leaders of the coalition will always be New York adoptees. That’s been in place since the beginning. But a solid working coalition of organizations, together with support from allies, is likely the only way to make real progress in New York. No organization can do it alone. We only need to look at the successful A5036B veto effort to realize that. But getting that veto, in the end, will prove far easier than enacting a law in New York that ensures genuine equality for all adoptees.