Passing out flyers to folks in the courtyard.

TUSCON, AZ From: Cheryl Richmond
Hi kids! Report from AZ site follows... Passed out doubled sided flyers (Open Records/National Rush Day) and FAQ sheets to all who would take one. One lady I chatted with for about 15 minutes was a 40-something adoptee and mother of two adopted kids. She asked for my phone/email so she can get more involved! Yippee!! More bodies! And, she LOVED my BN t-shirt! Had my tag-along friend Sam take pictures of me in front of court house too. Press was all over the place down town today because Bruce Babbit was here in town for an environmental issue hearing at the court house. I tackled the press people that I could grab and gave them flyers as well. As a direct result, KVOA channel 4 (NBC affiliate) ran that interview I did last month about Oregon and Bastard Nation tonight on the 5 o'clock news. I haven't watched it yet, but my friend taped it and gave me the following info about the segment: They plugged National Adoptee Rights Day/Rush for our Records Day. They plugged Oregon and the M-58 victory there to the nines and said that Arizona voters should look for this issue on their ballots some time in the future (they did have a 1 second snippet of some lady in oppositition to Oregon's M-58, but I still have to watch it to see who it was)... and best of all, they plugged BN. Showed the website addy, as well as the mainpage with the spermie sun and all! Woohoo!

On November 3, 1998, the state of Oregon passed the first ballot initiative that makes unconditional access to an adult adoptees' original birth certificate law. Bastard Nation would like to announce a National Adoptee Rights Day to commemorate this historic event. Every year on December 3rd shall be the official Adoptee Rights Day. Every year on that date, adoptees everywhere will celebrate this victory and organize events that will put pressure on other states to finally recognize our civil rights.

Pima County Vital Records/Court building, Congress Ave. Tucson. Cheryl in front of court building.

All in all, not a bad day after all. At least some people got the message, some may even join the cause, and even more have heard the name Bastard Nation. I'll tell you what though -- I sure felt elated being out there trying to get the word out... so many people were surprised to learn that adoptees can't access their OBCs, and no one disagreed with me on the issue. Great feeling! Can't wait till next year... Cheryl

Cheryl talking to an adoptee/adoptive mom in the courtyard (pro-open records!)

Visit the NARD (National Adoptee Right's Day) Website

Back to AZ Adoptee Rights