Questions and answers about our conferences
Updated Information for the Minneapolis Conference
We have updated information for the Minneapolis conference on June 28-29, 2024:
What’s a Mini-Conference?
We think of a mini-conference as a get-together that lasts about a day and a half, or basically less than 36 hours. It will typically start early on a Friday evening and end by Saturday night. The content and programming will be what you might expect at a regular conference, though the conference focus will often revolve around empowering people through advocacy.
Where are the mini-conferences?
The first mini-conference is in Minneapolis on June 28-29, 2024. It will be a hybrid conference with simultaneous in-person and virtual participation. In-person sesssions will be at Open Book in downtown Minneapolis, at 1011 Washington Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415. Nearby hotels include A Loft, Radisson RED, and Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown.
We do not yet have specific location details for the second mini-conference in Portland, Oregon, other than it will be on September 6-7, 2024. A third conference will likely be in Texas in November, though we are still planning that.
Why a mini-conference?
We want to meet with adopted people, wherever they are. Rather than require everyone to travel hundreds of miles to a conference, we plan to come to you. We will have at least three of these mini-conferences in 2024. If they go well, we will continue to do additional conferences in the next few years, each time at a new location.
Who can come to a mini-conference?
Our mini-conferences are generally open to the public. Some sessions at a conference may be adoptee only if requested by organizers or participants. All sessions will be adoptee-centered, meaning adopted people are given priority to participate within the various platforms or venues (e.g., in a Zoom chat, adoptee questions and comments will be prioritized).
Did you secure a block of hotel rooms for people who travel?
Not this time, and we typically won’t. The idea of a mini-conference is to lessen air travel, reduce our overall environmental impact, and highlight adopted people and adoptee-led organizations who live and work near the conference city. While most of our in-person attendees will be from the area, you are more than welcome to travel to meet us in person, wherever you come from. We just don’t work too hard on securing hotels and accommodations. We leave that up to you.
Is there food?
Yes, for in-person attendees we will typically offer a light lunch or refreshments, or both. In Minneapolis we will have a catered lunch with food from Baba’s, including vegan and gluten-free options. In Portland we hope to have a pizza party with Adoption Mosaic on Saturday evening, though those details are still in development.
What is the cost of registration?
We use a sliding fee with a suggested basic fee of $25.00, though if you can afford to donate more, it will help keep these conferences going. Since we started Adoptees United, we have worked hard to rely on grants and donations to support our work, making nearly all of our programming free. Ideally, mini-conferences will be free, with a request for donations to support the overall costs or to fund a specific Adoptees United program. This is true of the first mini-conference in Minneapolis, where proceeds from the registration fees will help fund a legal clinic for intercountry adoptees.
Are there fee waivers or scholarships for those who cannot afford a registration fee?
Yes. Contact us at [email protected] to request a scholarship/fee waiver for a mini-conference. Fee waivers are available only to adopted people or former foster youth.
Do conference panelists receive stipends or honoraria?
Yes. All panelists at our conferences (and panelists for our regular Zoom events) are offered a stipend/honoraria. This has been the case for us for years, and we feel it is important to recognize the value adopted people provide with their experiences and time. While some panelists donate the honoraria back to Adoptees United, we do not ask for that—it is their preference to do so.
How did you decide on the content of the programming?
We reach out to adopted people who live in the conference location—or we contact local organizations that we know are doing solid and interesting work. We generally have a broad theme (e.g., “Challenging and Changing the Dominant Narrative of Adoption”) and ask local participants or organizations to create content within that theme. Again, we like to highlight what adopted people and adoptee organizations are doing in the region.
Who do I contact at AU for more information?
Contact us at [email protected] if you have more questions. Gregory Luce, AU’s executive director, will get back to you.