YouTube: Adam Pertman on Adoption

The concept of what constitutes a family, and what is considered to be a “normal” one, has been controversial for generations – and has changed dramatically during our lifetimes. For over 15 years, Pulitzer Prize nominee Adam Pertman has been writing, lecturing throughout the U.S. and internationally, appearing in the media and educating a broad range of professionals in the public and private sectors about what he calls “a revolution in the family.” And, for over a decade, he has been a champion for the broad, expanding range of American families – and has been an effective, outspoken advocate for children – as President of the Donaldson Adoption Institute, a national nonprofit that is the pre-eminent research, policy and education organization in its field. To Pertman, who is one of the most sought-after speakers and experts in his field, adoption’s entry into the social mainstream is both a clear example of the changes taking place and a prism through which to view and understand the broader cultural transformation – which he argues directly or indirectly affects virtually everyone in our country.