Speak your truth to the world and be heard, validated and accepted.
Since 2012, Shelby has documented over 60 stories, that include an array of films about foster care and adoption. With several digital series and two Korean inter-country adoption documentaries, you’ll learn from a spectrum of voices in the foster care and adoption world.
Feedspot has listed her YouTube Channel - Shelby Redfield Kilgore among the Top 15 Adoption YouTube Channels to Follow in 2020!
Beyond Biological
Beyond Biological is a documentary series exploring a spectrum of perspectives in the foster care and adoption world, unique to Appalachia. The personal journeys of a trauma therapist, authors, mental health professionals, social workers, adoptive parents, foster care parents, a legal guardian, first mothers and adoptees are woven together to create an in-depth look into the lives of those directly impacted by foster care and adoption. While each individual story is different, there is a connecting thread of the human spirit to survive in the face of much adversity that mirrors other lives around the U.S. and beyond.
Link to full playlist - Beyond Biological Series
Adoptee Lens
A digital series about adoption told through the eyes of adoptees from around the world.
The first interview to kick off the series is from an Irish Adoptee, Clodagh Malone, who became a search angel to help people separated by adoption find one another.
Link to full playlist - Adoptee Lens
Kindred
Kindred is a reboot of Placed and Kismet, my two earlier series from 2012-2015, and continues to capture a spectrum of voices in the foster care and adoption community.
Link to full playlist - Kindred Series
Surrendered
Surrendered is an interview series dedicated to giving a voice to mothers of loss.
Kismet
Kismet is a series that highlights several families and their personal journeys in the foster care and adoption world.
Link to full playlist - Kismet series
Placed
Placed is a series that gives a platform for unique voices to share about their personal journeys in the foster care and adoption world.
Link to full playlist - Placed series
Korean Intercountry Adoption Documentaries
State approved intercountry adoption began in the 1950s, as a result of babies orphaned during and after the Korean War. The Korean society did not accept babies born out of wedlock, especially those that were only half Korean. Due to poverty, lack of support, and their children not eligible for citizenship, these women felt they had no other choice but to relinquish their babies.
This collection of personal stories of Korean Adoptees and adoptive parents gives unique insight into their struggles and triumphs as they navigate through their idea of family, identity, hope and love.
Link to full playlist - Korean intercountry documentaries
The Wishing Well - An Adoptee Interview Series
Shelby Redfield Kilgore Partnered with the Adoptee Influencer Network to help create this series of adoption by adoptees.
In this very vulnerable and eye opening series, you'll find a diverse group of adoptees answer questions that they have been asked over the years by people they know and sometimes by complete strangers, usually in response to an adoption narrative that doesn't fit with the mainstream view of adoption that they are comfortable with.
Stream the full adoptee interview series called, "The Wishing Well" at https://ain.vhx.tv/
Cancer During Coronavirus
On April 13, 2020 I found out I had breast cancer. Two days later I found out it was stage III. It was a complete shock to me, as I have no family health records, and have always been pretty healthy.
As an adoptee from South Korea, the loss of not knowing anything about my biological families’ medical history, created another wound inside of me.
I hope through being transparent about this very personal and emotional journey of mine, I can bring awareness about the dangers of not knowing vital and sometimes life-saving information.
Link to full playlist - Cancer During Coronavirus
What People Are Saying
“I appreciate the time and emotional labor that you and your guests put into these videos. They are heartbreakingly beautiful.”
— MariBeth
“This video - the art, songs, dance were incredibly moving. I smiled and cried watching this video. I am thankful for every adoptee that shared their story in Rooted in Adoption. The book and this video were put together perfectly. I hope this book ends up in every home that’s been impacted by Adoption.”
— She Has a Story
Link to Purchase Book: Rooted in Adoption: A Collection of Adoptee Reflections
“I love this series. I feel like I have learned so much about the different adoption journeys people have through meeting these adoptees and their families. You have done a beautiful job telling these stories.”
— Jennifer
“Highly recommend to all my friends touched by adoption and foster care in any way, birth, foster, adoptive parents. Professionals in the field, Shelby Redfield Kilgore has done some amazing work.”
— Sandy
“I’m a recently approved foster parent and this had so, so much incredible information that I really needed. Thank you for making this.”
— Tim
“Beautiful. I love how you touch on all sides.”
— Rachelle
“Shelby, I watched the entire video and I was instantly pulled in to hear and see more about these families and individual life stories. Thank you for sharing such an honest open documentary. I’m looking forward to seeing more of the candid interviews that these wonderful people are willing to share with us as they openly talk about the challenges and love of adoption and foster care.”
— Diane
“Wow, that was an incredible video/trailer. The lady who watched the social worker take her son knocked me out.”
— Jimmy Wayne
“A while ago we shared a documentary adoption series that was being created and it is finally here! We do not have any affiliation with the series but are super impressed with how well this documentary was created.”
— Center for Adoption Support and Education
Adoption Education
Join the adoptee filmmaker, Shelby Redfield Kilgore as she takes an in-depth look into answering one question at a time that tends to come up a lot in the foster care and adoption world.
