Adoptee Advocates: Lina Vanegas
Welcome to our Adoptee Advocates series, where powerful voices from the adoptee community take center stage. In each installment, we’ll introduce inspiring leaders who are reshaping the conversation around adoption, sharing personal stories, expert insights, and essential resources for adoptees and their allies.
We are honored to introduce Lina Vanegas as the first featured advocate in this series. As a social worker (MSW), educator, and advocate, Lina focuses on adoption trauma, mental health, and suicide prevention, offering vital support to fostered and adopted individuals. Through her work, she raises awareness of the unique challenges faced by transracial and transnational adoptees.
Meet Lina Vanegas: Social Worker and Adoption Advocate
Lina Vanegas is a powerful force within the adoptee community. A transracial and transnational displaced person from Bogota, Colombia, Lina was separated from her family for 38 years due to the adoption system. Today, she dedicates her career as a social worker (MSW), educator, and consultant to supporting fostered and adopted individuals. Her focus? Adoption trauma, mental health, and suicide prevention.
Through her podcast Rescripting the Narrative, her presentations, and her advocacy work, Lina provides crucial insight into the experiences of adopted people, especially those affected by transracial and transnational adoption. Her work sheds light on the often unspoken realities of adoption—and the trauma that comes with it.
You may know Lina from her powerful posts on her social media @linaleadswithlove. She is fearless voice for adoptees and mental health.
We sat down with Lina to discuss suicide prevention and adoption trauma. Watch our full interview with her on YouTube:
The Reality of Adoption Trauma and Loss
Lina’s journey into advocacy began with her own experience of being commodified and separated from her family. “I quickly realized I wasn’t alone,” she says. “I wanted to make sure people learned the reality of adoption.”
Her professional background as a social worker has only deepened her understanding of how harmful adoption can be. “It has given me even more insight into how violent and traumatizing the institution of adoption is,” Lina explains. “We need to ask ‘What happened to this person?’ instead of ‘What’s wrong with this person?’”
Lina’s message is clear: it’s not enough to assume adoption is a 'better life' for a child. “We have to challenge the idea that adoptees are ‘chosen’ or ‘lucky,’” she says. “These are harmful misconceptions that erase the trauma adoptees experience.”
Lina further addresses misconceptions such as, “People think we are ungrateful, unwanted, or that our mothers loved us so much they gave us up. There’s this belief that we should feel lucky, but this overlooks the lifelong trauma adoptees endure.”
Suicide Prevention and Support After Suicide (Postvention)
Lina’s work extends beyond adoption to include suicide awareness and prevention, a critical issue in the adoptee community. “I’ve experienced the loss of people to suicide, and they were both impacted by adoption,” Lina shares. “That really sent me on a mission to learn more about suicide prevention and to educate others.”
She breaks down the difference between prevention and postvention:
Suicide Prevention involves destigmatizing suicide, normalizing suicidal ideation, and creating spaces where people can talk about their feelings without judgment.
Suicide Postvention refers to the support given after suicide occurs, ensuring that those left behind aren’t blamed or shamed for the loss.
Both are equally important, Lina emphasizes. “We need comprehensive care—before and after suicide—to truly support people.”
Lina explains, “I create non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing spaces where people can share without fear. It’s essential that we listen to adoptees without jumping in to fix their pain. Instead, we need to acknowledge that their feelings make sense and provide them with a safe, compassionate space to be heard.”
Advice for Adoptees: You Are Not Alone
For adoptees struggling with identity or the challenges of their adoption journey, Lina offers this heartfelt advice: “There is nothing wrong with you. I am sorry that you’re struggling, but you’re not alone.”
She encourages adoptees to connect with others who understand their experiences and to seek support networks that resonate with them, whether online or in-person. “We all need a tool box to nurture and support ourselves. We must find balance between work and personal life, seek joy, and set boundaries that protect our mental health,” she explains.
Recommended Resources for Adoptees
When it comes to resources, Lina has no shortage of recommendations. “Harrison Mooney’s book Invisible Boy is fantastic, and of course, I love our podcast Rescripting the Narrative,” she says. She also highlights Mila Konomos’ podcast, Adoption is A Lie, and points to organizations like Adoption Mosaic and Adoptees United for their resources and events.
Podcasts such as Adoptees Crossing Lines, Adoptee Files, and Adoptees On are also among her top recommendations. “There are so many great people doing amazing work,” Lina adds. “These resources are crucial for adoptees looking for validation and support.”
Systemic Changes Needed to Support Adoptees and Address Adoption Trauma
When asked what systemic changes are needed to better support adoptees, Lina doesn’t hesitate: “We need more providers who truly understand adoption trauma. Too often, adoptees are pathologized and medicated without addressing the root of their trauma.”
Lina believes the question should always be, “What happened to this person?” rather than, “What’s wrong with this person?” It’s about shifting the focus from blame to understanding.
The Future of Adoption Trauma Support and Suicide Prevention
Lina is hopeful that the next decade will see more adoptee voices being centered in discussions around adoption and suicide prevention. “My hope is that we stop centering adoptive parents and non-adopted people in these conversations,” she says. “We need to hear from those most impacted.”
In suicide prevention, Lina calls for less policing and surveillance of those experiencing suicidal ideation and more respect for bodily autonomy. “We need to give people the dignity and respect they deserve, while creating safe, non-judgmental spaces for these difficult conversations.”
Understanding the Impact of Adoption Trauma: Lina’s Message for Change
Lina hopes people will begin to see adoption as an adverse childhood experience that leads to preventable, intergenerational trauma. “Adoption is a risk factor for suicide, addiction, incarceration, eating disorders, and other struggles. It’s time we listen to the voices of those most impacted and recognize that adoption is not at all what it’s marketed as. It’s critical that we advocate for different ways to care for children.”
How to Support Lina and Her Adoption Advocacy Work
You can follow Lina’s work on Facebook as Lina Vanegas MSW, on Instagram @linaleadwithlove and @RescriptingTheNarrative, and on X @linaleadswlove. Her website is forthcoming, but you can reach her through her Linktree or by email at linaleadswithlove@gmail.com.
Lina offers virtual presentations, consultations, and trainings on adoption trauma, mental health, and suicide prevention. She works with adopted, displaced, fostered, trafficked, and stolen people and believes that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and validated. If you’re interested in working with me or would like a consultation, please reach out through her Linktree or email.
Lina’s story and work are not just about education—they are about transformation, healing, and making space for adoptees to speak their truth. A huge thank you to Lina for giving us her time, energy and words for this piece.
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