What happens when you spend your whole life searching for where you belong – only to discover shocking information after decades of putting the pieces together?

Nichell grew up knowing she was different. Raised in an African American family, she looked different from the people around her, and from an early age, she wondered about the identity of her biological father.

Over the years, she found family, faced unanswered questions, and built relationships that shaped her understanding of who she was. Decades later, her daughter took a DNA test.

In this week's episode, Nichell shares how she uncovered her biological father’s identity, difficult truths about her origins, and an unexpected relationship that helped her find something she'd been searching for all along: belonging.

Thank you for sharing your story, Nichell.

Hey everyone! We’re still on a summer break, but I’m excited to share a bonus episode with you in the meantime. In this episode,  I am joined by Lauren Caster, the writer, director, producer, and star of the new feature film, Rhythm Is a Dancer.

The film follows Roe, a young woman conceived through sperm donation, as she navigates questions of identity, family, and what it means to search for the person who helped create her.

I talk with Lauren about the film, the themes it explores, and the experiences that inspired it. It’s a story that will resonate with many in our community, and I'm excited to share our conversation with you.

The film, which also stars Tate Donovan and Amy Aquino is available on demand wherever you stream films.

Be sure to check out Rhythm is a Dancer wherever you stream films, or on https://rhythmisadancer.movie/.

***SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: DNA Surprises will be taking a short summer break during July and August. I’m excited to come back in September refreshed, recharged, and with more stories from the NPE, adoptee, and donor conceived communities.

Thank you for listening, sharing, and helping make this community what it is. Have a wonderful summer, and we’ll see you in September!****

DNA surprises take time. Time to for the secrets to be kept. Time for them to be uncovered. Time to connect with newfound family members. So much of this experience is a waiting game

In the season 14 finale of DNA surprises, Brytanie shares how her difficult upbringing made feeling like an outsider in family seem normal. She never felt like she belonged, so she never suspected that the man she believed was her biological father, wasn’t. It wasn’t until a DNA test, and later, a seemingly harmless comment, revealed the truth.

Thank you for sharing your story, Brytanie.

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Sometimes, DNA surprises aren’t about misattributed parentage. Sometimes, the biggest surprises are the feelings we experience as we explore biological connections.

In this week’s episode, Tracy shares how she always knew was adopted, and always knew that she wanted to find her biological parents. Much to her surprise, after she reunited with both of them, she uncovered complicated feelings around boundaries and what she expected from her relationships. Overall, Tracy’s experience is one of acceptance - of her life and family.

Thank you for sharing your story, Tracy.

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The more, the merrier. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone involved in a DNA surprise had this mentality? While that’s unfortunately not always the case, this week’s guest has had an incredible time connecting with the family he discovered after taking a DNA test.

Nick shares why growing up, learning about his paternal side never really factored into his thinking, and how a DNA test changed everything.

Thank you for sharing your story, Nick.

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Words have power. Language is how we make meaning of the things we’ve experienced. For some, having language around DNA surprises, adoption, and donor conception helps people feel less alone.

And others take it even further, using the power of language to write about their experience. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Linda Pevac, also known by her pen name, Emma Stevens. Linda has penned three books about her life as a baby scoop era adoptee.

We discuss her DNA surprise journey and why writing has been a powerful tool in sharing her story.

Thank you for sharing your story, Linda.

https://emmastevenswriter.com/books/

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After a DNA surprise, it’s common to look back and reflect on moments where the truth was right there in front of you. A slip of the tongue, that eerie feeling that something just wasn’t right. But you don’t know it until you know it.

In this week’s episode, Billy shares how he brushed up against the truth years before he learned the truth about his paternity. He shared what he’s learned, what relationships he’s built, and how his DNA surprise gave him an even stronger appreciation for his dad.

Thank you for sharing your story, Billy.

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For some people, one of the trickiest things about DNA surprises is that they force us to see our parents as human. It can be uncomfortable to come to terms with infidelity in a marriage, or that your parent would lie to you.

In this week’s episode, Ann reveals how she uncovered four DNA surprises in her family. As the “found family” member in each surprise, Ann shares why she felt it was important to be open to the new people in her life.

Thank you for sharing your story, Ann.

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