Hunan, China
Hello! My name is Caroline Waddington, and I was adopted from Hunan, China. I am 17 and will turn 18 next month. I plan to attend Champlain College in the fall to study digital forensics.
Growing up was hard. As a person of color, growing up in an all white city was not easy. As a little kid all you want to do is fit it, so l often neglected my family's effort to teach me about my culture. I was often a victim of racist remarks and being treated differently due to my looks, which was hard on me.
During the pandemic, everything changed. I started connecting with other Asian people online, and I started to learn more about my culture and embrace it. I also met more and more people who were also adopted, and this helped me feel like I belong.
"Although it is very noticeable that I am adopted by looking at my last name, I want to be able to create my own identify."
Although it is very noticeable that I am adopted by looking at my last name, I want to be able to create my own identify. I want to be able to be known as more than the girl who has white parents, or the kid who is adopted. I hope by learning more about my culture and indulging myself in it, I can reclaim myself that I lost when I was younger.
Accessibility
[Description: Grey background with pale pink decorations. To the right is a large selfie of Caroline, and to the right of it is a smaller photo of her as a little kid. White decorations surround the photos. Large typewriter-style text at the top reads "Caroline Waddington." Smaller text in the right corner says "Hunan, China."]