The controversial practice of the adoption of Greek children by American families during the Cold War will be highlighted in an event that will take place on September 14, 2024, in New York.
On that day the Greek Elder Care Network, in collaboration with the Hellenic American Project and The Eftychia Project, announced the first Hellenic-American Project Oral History Interview to be taped in front of a live audience. The event begins at 6:30 pm at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25-02 Newtown Ave, Queens, NY 11102.
This fascinating evening is open to the public and will be done in a talk show-style theater setting.
Dr. Nicholas Alexiou, the founder and director of the Hellenic-American Project (HAP) and a sociology professor at Queens College, CUNY, will interview Eftychia (Linda Carol Trotter), a Greek-born adoptee and the founder/president of the nonprofit organization, The Eftychia Project.
Greek adoptees reunion
The Eftychia Project, celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2024, assists and supports, free of charge, Greek adoptees searching for their roots and Greek families searching for their children lost to adoption.
Dozens of Greek adoptees and their families from across the USA and Greece gathered in Louisville, Kentucky from June 20th to June 22nd for the Third Annual Greek Adoptee Reunion, hosted by The Eftychia Project.
After the first two reunions in Nashville, Tennessee and Athens, Greece, the event switched back to the US for the fifth anniversary of The Eftychia Project, the only official adoptee-led organization in the US supporting Greek adoptees.
Greek adoptions and their profound impact
This event is set to document the profound impact and historical significance of the adoptions abroad of thousands of Greek children, mainly to the USA, in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as raise awareness about this sad page of Greek history among the Greek diaspora and the general public.
Dr. Alexiou will lead the conversation, bringing his extensive expertise and passion for preserving Hellenic-American history to the forefront. Eftychia will share her own story, her work with The Eftychia Project, and its mission to amplify the voices of over 4,000 Greek-born adoptees, whose stories are often lost in the broader intercountry adoption narrative.
This live interview promises to be a profoundly moving and informative experience, offering the audience a rare glimpse into personal stories of identity, heritage, and reunion.
The interview will contribute to HAP’s extensive archives of the Hellenic American experience, which is recognized by the US Library of Congress.
An audience Q&A will follow the interview, and Greek adoptees from across the country will be present to answer questions and discuss their own stories with audience members.
Tickets for the event are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis, as seating is limited. To reserve your tickets, please contact info@greekeldercarenetwork.com or call 929-289-6222, or contact The Eftychia Project at theeftychiaproject@gmail.com.
For more information about Greek Elder Care Network, the Hellenic American Project or The Eftychia Project, visit their respective websites at www.greekeldercarenetwork.com, www.hapsoc.org, or www.theeftychiaproject.org.
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