The number of adopted persons in the United States is estimated to be between six and ten million. The one thing all adopted persons share in common is that somewhere, some time, a decision was made that was intended to be in their "best interest." Whether infant or older child, domestic or international, stepparent, relative, or "stranger" adoption, that "best interest" was present.

As the adoption community becomes more visible and more vocal, the entire institution of adoption has changed and is changing in response to the experiences of today's adult adoptees.

• Late discovery adoptees (LDAs), those who learned of their adoptions at older ages, have taught a crucial lesson about the importance of telling young adoptees about their having been adopted;
• transracial and transcultural adoptees have taught equally important lessons about the need for cultural awareness and support within the family;
• adults who were adopted as older children have made us aware of the importance of sibling and other relationships with the birthfamily.

And the list goes on

Many of today's adult adopted persons grew up during a time when issues were not discussed, and in some cases, not even acknowledged. Issues commonly addressed by today's adoptive parents and adoption professionals, such as identity, attachment, and challenging histories, were often taboo. As secrets and silence have fallen by the wayside (not only in adoption but in society in general), adult adopted persons are coming together to compare lives, seek support and guidance, and more generally seek acknowledgement of their experiences.

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