this woman’s work

When Kelsey Cartwright’s father wanted to learn about his biological parents, he learned the papers that would tell him who had put him up for adoption were sealed from his eyes.

“We worked for a few years to get it open,” Cartwright said Sunday, a day after being crowned Miss Oklahoma at the 36th annual scholarship pageant in Tulsa.
Cartwright said she will use her father’s experience during her yearlong reign as she promotes open adoptions during appearances at schools and before civic groups across the state.

Cartwright, the 20-year-old daughter of William and Kelli Cartwright, said her father’s search for his past was confusing and frustrating.

“You never know what to do next,” said Cartwright, of Collinsville. Oklahoma has closed adoption laws and procedural and legal barriers keep adoption records sealed — even from adopted individuals who want to know the truth about their biological parents and their own heritage, she said.

“You’re stuck with that. But there are steps you can take to get your file open,” Cartwright said.

Read more here.

I’m not much for beauty pageants but this year I’m rooting for Miss Oklahoma.

I got this request from someone through the contact form there:

I am Alex for South Dakota State Senator Nancy Turbak Berry’s office. I am
doing public policy research on adoption. We are hoping to come up with
some positive, helpfull legislation on adoption, such as increased funding,
incentive programs, subsidy programs, just to name a few. Anyways, any
ideas would be great. Right now I am looking at the issue of support for
adoption of special needs children. Also, some other issues we are looking
at are mult-racial adoption policies and same sex couple adoption
policies.

I told him/her that I’d post the request at OAS and you can find it here. I’m closing comments on this post to push ‘em all over to OAS and I’ll be sure to give Alex a heads up.