who we are
What is China's Children International?
Founded in 2011, China's Children International (CCI for short) is one of the first international support, networking, and community organizations created by and for Chinese adoptees. In 2020, CCI incorporated in the United States as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and connecting adult Chinese adoptees from around the world.
Our Mission
We aim to empower Chinese adoptees from all over the world by providing an inclusive and supportive community for all of us who share this common beginning.
WHY WE EXIST
In 1979, China tightened its family planning policy by introducing what is known in the West as “the one-child policy” to curb the nation’s rapid population growth. As result of this policy, exacerbated by the societal importance of males within China's traditional familial structure and compounded by the economic pressures faced by many families in rural areas, many families resorted to giving up their children.
More than 160,000 Chinese children, mostly girls but also boys, have been adopted into families all over the world since China officially opened its doors to international adoption in 1992. Approximately 82,000 of these children have been adopted to the United States alone. Immediately after China opened its doors to international adoption, adoptive families began to create an extensive network of support for their community of families with children from China.
But, today, these adoptees are not children anymore - the first few waves of Chinese adoptees are now becoming adults, entering college and the workforce. Many of us adult adoptees, having long outgrown the family networking events, wish to connect with other Chinese adoptees on our own terms and at a deeper level, sharing experiences, thoughts, ideas, and stories with each other to create a greater sense of community and belonging. However, just a couple years ago, there were few to no organizations that gave us these opportunities.
China's Children International (CCI) was established in May 2011 by Chinese adoptees Charlotte Cotter and Laney Allison. We are an organization that aims to connect and provide support for adult Chinese adoptees around the world. Today, CCI provides many programs, both online and in-person, that connect our members with others in the community, center and elevate adult adoptee voices and narratives, empower future Chinese adoptee community leaders, and support each adoptee in exploring what their unique Chinese adoptee identity means to them.
[The 160,000 number of international Chinese adoptees is taken from page 84 of: Kennedy, J. J. (2019). Lost and found: The “missing girls” in rural China. Oxford University Press.
As of the end of the 2022 fiscal year, the United States Department of State website lists the number of international adoptions from China as 82,658: U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs. (2022). Adoption statistics. Travel.State.Gov. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/Intercountry-Adoption/adopt_ref/adoption-statistics-esri.html?wcmmode=disabled]
SAME BEGINNINGS DIFFERENT PATHS
At CCI, we recognize that while our members are connected through their common beginnings, being an adoptee is not our sole defining characteristic as we all continue on our different paths in life. Here, we believe that each and every adoptee brings their own unique circumstances, stories, passions, perspectives, and opinions to the table. Whether you are a passionate athlete or artist, writer or musician, being an adoptee is only the beginning. Each adoptee story is unique, and “the Chinese adoptee experience” is by no means a monolith. CCI hopes to continue connecting Chinese adoptees of all ages for years to come as we always keep in mind our “same beginnings, different paths.”
Our Values
Community
Inclusivity
Kindness
Support
Compassion
Respect for all
Openness and respect for different experiences, diverse perspectives, and differing opinions