Events

Update: Unfortunately, the picnic has been cancelled due to weather.

Dear Community,

After much consideration, we’re deeply disappointed to share that due to tomorrow’s all-day rain forecast 🌧️, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Annual Family and Friends Picnic.

This event is always such a special highlight as it’s a tradition we cherish and a moment to wrap up the year together. We know how much it means to so many of you, and we share in your disappointment. Unfortunately, with the weather and logistics at play, moving forward as planned would mean a compromised experience for everyone.

While we won’t be rescheduling the picnic this year, we want to take a moment to say how deeply we appreciate and admire this community 🙌.. Thank you for another wonderful year! Your support, energy, and presence mean the world to us ❤️.

We appreciate your understanding Stay dry, and we wish you all a safe, restful, and joyful summer!

In community,

Also-Known-As

Come close out our 2024-2025 term with us at our Annual Picnic in Prospect Park. One of our biggest events of the year, community members, family, allies, and newcomers are all welcome (kids and pets, too)!

Mingle with old friends and new connections, enjoy complimentary catering, and soak up a few hours outdoors. Raffle tickets and merch will be available for purchase.

Please RSVP to help us plan, and click the option to volunteer if you’d like to help us set up tables and chairs. (Note: Alcohol is not permitted in NYC parks; those who wish typically gather nearby afterwards.)

Has becoming a parent allowed you to reevaluate what it means to be an adoptee? How has being an adoptee affected you on your own parenting journey? What does parenting as an adoptee mean for your children, the future generation? Come with an open mind and bring your own questions as our very own Heather Gittens, Also-Known-As Advisory Board Member and founder of Huh Healing Hub LLC, Certified Usui Reiki Master and Lecturer at Baruch College leads a insightful panel discussion with fellow Transracial Adoptee Parents, including: acclaimed author/producer/critic Rebecca Carroll; Jessica Luciere, Associate Director of the Family & Community Support Department at Spence-Chapin; and Mike Mullen, former president of Also-Known-As and current AKA Advisory Board member. This event is open to Adoptees and Adoptive parents (current and prospective) only.

🌧️ Should the weather not be in our favor, we’ll notify all RSVPs at least 12 hours in advance to confirm whether the hike is still on.

Get ready to hit the trails with our Also-Known-As community! 🌲👣

Join us for a memorable day on the trails, with former president and an avid lover of hiking, Mike Mullen. Whether you're an experienced hiker or just looking for a fun outdoor adventure, this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy nature, meet new people, and make lasting memories. We'll be hiking Pine Meadow Lake, a beautiful 5.7 mile loop (approx. 1,000 ft of elevation gain).

Important:

🚗 Need a ride? If you don’t have access to a car or transportation, let us know in the RSVP form. We’ll do our best to arrange rides from Suffern Train Station to the trailhead, but please plan accordingly if public transport is your main option.

[Optional] Post-Hike Lunch:

Join us after the hike for a casual post-event lunch at Roxanne’s Restaurant. Swing by for some well-earned slices, good conversation, and a relaxed vibe. 🍕

Your story deserves to be told. 🗣️

On April 30 in NYC, learn how three inspiring adoptees express who they are in creatively empowering ways:

🎭🎤Ed Popski @epopski

📚✍️ Sullivan Summer @thesullivansummer

🧵🎼 양천식 (Jeff) @yang_cheon_shik

Brooklyn ✔️ New Jersey ✔️. Queens, it’s your turn! Also-Known-As is heading to Astoria for April’s Happy Hour. Join us on Thursday, April 10th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at one of Astoria’s favorite spots. Don’t want to drink? No problem! Pig Beach is known for their delicious barbecue bites. Come out, relax, and enjoy a great time with the community!

Join Also-Known-As and Megan Rakos [tag: @lovesupay], for an intimate evening of craft and conversation. Megan is adopted from Peru and an artist whose work uncovers themes of self-discovery, heritage, and the intricate ties between past and future.

Participants will use collage-making to produce a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork as a way to connect with heritage and themselves. Art making can be a powerful tool to work through and process complex trauma and build connections within yourself and others. No experience is necessary, just a desire to create and be in community with other adoptees! Some materials will be provided. Please bring your own scissors and any inspiration (cultural or otherwise), and/or a craft item to share with the group.

Come celebrate the coming of Spring with Also-Known-As in the Jersey ‘Koreatown’, Fort Lee! Make new friends, nosh on great eats, and…oh yeah…grab a cold brew (NA even). Can’t wait to see you there!

Come break up the mid-winter blahs with new friends, a few spirited (or NA) drinks, and frosty cheer. Our happy hours are great for newcomers—come solo or bring a friend!

Join us at warm and spacious cocktail spot Bonnie Vee (conveniently located off Bowery) for happy hour specials on drinks and snacks, all the way until 8 pm. Enjoy a full bar, mocktails, and BV's comfy covered patio space, along with lively conversation among fellow community members.

Relationships can be difficult, and adding adoption into the mix adds an extra layer of complexity. How do we approach relationships, both platonic and romantic, as an adoptee? What are your experiences in navigating relationships with your adopted family? For those in reunion, how do you approach your relationship with your birth family? What are your thoughts on interracial dating? How does your attachment style feed into navigating relationships as an adoptee? Please join us to discuss the subject of navigating relationships as an adoptee.

✨ Celebrate the Lunar New Year with us! 🎉 Join us as we honor the Year of the Snake with delicious food, lively traditions, and joyful togetherness in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the US: Flushing (Queens) NY! We will head down to the New World Mall food court in Flushing for a day of eating as we savor the New Year with warmth, community, and full bellies! 🌙✨