GRAMERCY— The Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board Inc. is inviting birth families to a film screening and discussion.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the St. James Parish Welcome Center, located at 1094 U.S. 61 in Gramercy. Light refreshments will be provided.

Birth families are families that put their birth children up for adoption.

The mission of the Advisory Board is to bring various members of the adoption community together to share different perspectives, seek common understanding and promote initiatives that pertain to adoption.

The Advisory Board is a non-profit organization, and board members represent all parties of adoption.

According to Birth Parent Committee Chair and birth mom Jeanette Livingston, there was a birth parent retreat a few years go.

“People talked about how we fall through the cracks,” Livingston said. “We’re never thought of, and there is a lot of grief to work through.”

Through the film screening and discussion, Advisory Board members hope to give birth parents an outlet to discuss their experiences and connect with others to let them know they are not alone.

The film that will be shown is a documentary about children that were put up for adoption looking for their birth parents.

Going through the process of giving up a child for adoption and being reunited with her son, Livingston feels that being part of The Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board is important.

“I’m a birth mom, my birth son is 44 years old,” Livingston said. “For so many years there was secrecy. I couldn’t talk about it because of the shame of stereotypes.”

Not all mothers who put their children up for adoption fit the negative stereotypes, Livingston said, adding many still may be apprehensive to discuss their experiences.

Livingston encourages all birth families in the community to participate in the event and share their experiences.

— By Raquel Derganz Baker