Mo' Sibyl

인종간 입양인|The One with Christelle Pellecuer - Between Worlds: A Transracial Adoptee's Journey from Madagascar to France: Episode 2 (2024)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 인종간 입양인|The One with Christelle Pellecuer - Between Worlds: A Transracial Adoptee's Journey from Madagascar to France: Episode 2 (2024)

In this episode, Christelle Pellecuer, a certified coach empowering black adoptees, joined us on The More Sibyl Podcast to share her journey of self-discovery and cultural identity. As a transracial adoptee (someone who has been adopted into a family of a different racial or ethnic background) from Madagascar raised in France, Christelle's narrative is one of resilience, growth, and the ongoing quest for identity.

The conversation explored Christelle's experiences growing up in France, feeling disconnected from her Malagasy roots, and the complexities of transracial adoption. She shared poignant moments from her childhood, highlighting the challenges of navigating her identity in a predominantly white environment. Despite these hurdles, Christelle's story is one of hope and perseverance.

One of the most powerful moments of the episode was when Christelle spoke about the joy of reconnecting with her African roots. She expressed the bittersweet realization of not fully embracing her heritage earlier in life, citing the "black tax" as a barrier to cultural understanding. However, she emphasized the importance of embracing one's identity and urged families to do better in fostering cultural connection. Christelle also shared her reflection on her journey as a mother. She candidly shared the challenges of raising her daughter while still grappling with her own identity. Through her experiences, Christelle learned the value of self-awareness and the importance of creating a supportive environment for her daughter's growth.

Throughout the conversation, Christelle stresses the active involvement of adoptive parents in their child's cultural education, advocating for the incorporation of cultural elements into the home and participation in cultural events. She concludes by encouraging listeners to embrace self-awareness and explore their identities, highlighting the adoption journey as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Christelle's story serves as a powerful reminder that perseverance and self-reflection can lead to finding belonging despite the challenges of transracial adoption.

멋진 가나인들| The One with The Oseis - On Building Love, Family & Careers: Episode 24 (2022)

The More Sibyl Podcast Presents: 멋진 가나인들| The One with The Oseis - On Building Love, Family & Careers: Episode 24 (2022)

This episode is a LIVE one! And we are doing something else differently; our guests are a couple! I met Nana Osei first as a student at my university who was leaving as I started as an assistant professor. A mutual friend connected us, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Oseis are from Ghana. Nana is a pharmacist (PharmD), while Richard has a Ph.D. in computer science and is very passionate about sharing his knowledge with the next generation. He started at church and is currently a full-time assistant professor teaching computer science courses at Langston University. He also volunteers to teach young black kids to code. As a teacher, he’s very passionate about sharing his knowledge with the next generation.

They shared how they met, moved to a new country as a newlywed couple, and then went on to have kids. They also shared their experience raising Cassie, who is on the autism spectrum. We discussed how our home countries, Nigeria and Ghana, are hurting, our leadership issues, and other issues that need to be worked on for our countries to experience progress. They also shared how they are building their careers, volunteering for causes they are passionate about, and still giving their family and children the required attention.

Finally, we discussed the implication of the recent passing of the Queen of England on colonized countries, whether the monarchy is still relevant, and whether we should even be having conversations about the monarchy in light of all the African artifacts and money still in their possession.