Events

The  is aAnna Jinja's debut novel, Adopting Grace, follows the journey of Grace, a 39-year-old Korean-American woman who was adopted as an infant from South Korea by a Norwegian family in Iowa. As Grace grapples with her husband's affair with his high school sweetheart, her therapist suggests exploring deep-rooted issues tied to her adoption. Grace, however, believes her stress stems from juggling the demands of raising two daughters, running a small business, designing a bridal gown for a challenging client, and managing complex relationships within her family. This poignant story delves into Grace’s struggles as a wife, mother, and adoptee, exploring what it truly means to be part of a family. https://youtu.be/8zThE7UGXvkn

international adoptee with biological roots in Korea an is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve.d adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of disc is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve.rimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve.Anna Jinja show focuses on the stories, issues, and questions connected to adoption and foster care experiences. The host is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve. This show illuminates the theme of adoption, in all ways, in our lives. And how those experiences create who we are and who we are yet to be.Her hope is that through engaging with the guests and creative content, we are welcomed home in this world, cradled in the belief that we belong, that we are worthy, and that we are loved.So stay tuned, and you may discover your own adoption story.

https://youtube.com/live/kSc-C1SShaU?feature=share

https://youtu.be/nZIUtaH0fNY

Chris Anderson, The Ames Foundation

Kristi Mayo, Raising Readers in Story County

Brianne Anderson, Ames Public Library

http://youtu.be/nZIUtaH0fNY

https://youtu.be/RSrG3fUmk3o

https://youtube.com/live/v_eczquEAYI?feature=share

https://youtu.be/mIJDytXWtSk

https://youtube.com/live/0iMNqceKEBA?feature=share

Kathy Pinkerton, The Salvation Army Grant Recipients

https://youtube.com/live/zjJE28nz2rg?feature=share

Led by Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick, the 2025 Rotary Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul, Türkiye, 20-22 February 2025, will be an opportunity for the Rotary community and our partners to build on Rotary’s contributions to promoting peace by exploring:Peace in a polarized world     Technology, media, and peacebuilding     Environmental issues in peacebuilding     Making peace last

Deb Schildroth, Heartland of Story County and The Community Academy, Grant Recipients

https://youtube.com/live/phJTNfDCG98?feature=share

https://youtu.be/J_AOPV3fRuU

Sandy Swanson, Overflow Thrift Store, and Lisa McCarty, All Aboard for Kids, Grant Recipients

https://youtube.com/live/UldWrycBROc?feature=share

https://youtu.be/V_gDq4SFqsM

https://youtube.com/live/S2hBMPItzYc?feature=share

https://youtu.be/3P5eSnm1F5U

https://youtube.com/live/E3h-YnEVk9E?feature=share

https://youtube.com/live/olWjLAQmH2k?feature=share

https://youtube.com/live/3W-3aV9-QbQ?feature=share