CONNECTED HEARTS: SOCIAL MEDIA'S ROLE IN FOSTERING HOPE FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN ADOPTEES

Abstract

Central American adoptees are a unique part of the Latinx population, as they were often brought up by White adoptive parents in White communities completely outside of their birth cultures. This can lead to feelings of uncertainty and fragmentation in relation to their connection to Central America. Social media and other digital technologies have been instructive tools for these adoptees to explore their identities and lessen the psychological stress caused by being removed from their birth cultures and communities.