Services Available
Keynote Address
The Results of Our Sociology Experiment
“My mother hates this title,” Kevin Hofmann says with a broad smile.
Kevin was the product of an affair between his white biological mother and a black co-worker. Born a biracial child 2 ½ weeks after the Detroit riots in Detroit, for obvious reasons, Kevin was immediately placed in foster care. After three months, he was adopted by a white Lutheran minister, his wife, and their three biological children. In this keynote address Kevin describes life as a transracial adoptee and gives sound. Through his life experiences, humor, and profound reflection he answers the questions everyone wants to know about the impact of being raised in a transracial home from the unique point of view of a male adoptee.
Three Workshops to Choose From:
The Transcultural Ten
The 10 Essentials for Successful Transcultural Adoption
In this lecture/ open discussion workshop you will learn the 10 things all transcultural parents and professionals should know about adopting transculturally. Some of the topics we will discuss are: Preparing for the “unprepareable,” Designing a CCP(cultural connection plan), and Love ain’t gonna keep you dry, Join Kevin for some laughs and maybe some tears, as we explore how to get this thing done right.
The workshop will be a combination of lecture and open discussion as he shares from his own experiences as a transracial adoptee as well as from the experiences of other transcultural families he’s worked with. Kevin will also candidly share what his parents did right, what they should have addressed, and what they could have done better.
Each participant will leave the workshop with a list of ten topics that they can concentrate on to help meet the needs of their clients or their own transcultural children.
Creating a Cultural Connection Plan(CCP)
How to Design and Implement a CCP
Kevin figured out that over the first 18 years of his transracial life he spent approximately 27,375 hours immersed in black culture. This figures out to 1140.625 days, or 3.125 years of constant 24/7 exposure. In that time he developed a sense of racial pride and racial identity that helped sustain him in the turbulent adolescent and teenage years.
“What is enough exposure?”
“How do we get today’s transracial families close to these numbers?”
“What number will tip the scales in favor of a more connected life?”
In this lecture/ open discussion workshop, you will be gain an understanding of a CCP, why it is imperative to adoption success, and given the tools to create your own Cultural Connection Plan. We will discuss how to find these vital connections, and how to create intentional relationships that help bridge the gap between two cultures. Each participant will leave with an understanding of how to map out these connections and challenged to approach people from different communities to help them make these vital connections. This workshop will also give professionals a working plan to walk through with their client
The Adoptee Ten
The 10 Essentials for creating a successful, healthy adoption from the mind of an adoptee
In this lecture/ open discussion Kevin will share the 10 things that need to be addressed in an adoptive family that often go unnoticed. Some of the topics he will discuss are: I have issues–adoptee issues, Avoid creating an invisible child, My story, my voice.
Kevin brings with his experiences as an adoptee a unique male voice that isn’t often heard in a way that makes tough, important issues easier to hear.
In this workshop you will walk away with a better understanding of issues that adoptees face(often in silence) and you will be empowered to address them in your family or with your clients.
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THIS IS ONLY A PARTIAL LIST OF SERVICES–We are updating this list constantly, contact us and we can email you an updated list of our services
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ALSO LOOK FOR LIVE WEBINARS AND DVDs COVERING THE TOPICS ABOVE–COMING SOON!
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Contact us @ TheVine (304-THE-VINE) 304-843-8463 to discuss fees and make arrangements.
Ms. Loretta,
You start out early at age 1-2 always pointing out the beautiful differences in your skin colors. You affirm that their skin is beautiful and they are valuable beyond measure. Your job is to counter-balance the image society feds us about skin color. You build them up early and as much as you can and then you make sure you have a strong presence of people in their lives that look like them. Find a mentor for them who is of color who can teach them the rules to live by in this society that puts so much emphasis on skin color. Talk talk talk. Start now talking about race and color and culture so they will always feel comfortable coming to you and talking about the racial issues they will have.