Jane Jeong Trenka: Adoptee Activist Author To Talk on Writing For Change

This month, author and adoptee activist Jane Jeong Trenka will be giving a talk at Chonnam National University, “Writing for Personal and Social Transformation” on Wednesday, April 9 at 3:00 pm in Jinligwan (진리관) 402.

Trenka has published three books about her experiences as a Korean-American adoptee, with material ranging from memoirs to research essays to poetry. Trenka recounted her initial journey into the writing process as a method of personal healing, one that grew into a pursuit for social justice and change.

“I think I first started [writing] because I would’ve just died from sadness and probably committed suicide or something like that,” Trenka said. “I started writing after my Korean mother died and my sister didn’t want to come to the memorial service with me, my adoptive parents didn’t want to come. I was so sad and needed to find a way to address that. Making it into book form was powerfully healing for me. At book readings I felt so lucky; people empathized with me, shared their stories and made me feel better. It was good for my self-esteem and it gave me courage and more room to be more generous.”

Trenka, living in Korea since 2004, has been instrumental with the group TRACK (Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea). Trenka explained how she used writing as a tool for both personal healing as well as a way to learn about herself and shape her future.

“It kind of taught me how to conceive of the future; my writing is about the past, so you think about the person you want to be. It taught me about myself, and also the saying is you should write the book you want to read, in order to do that you have to do research.”

Trenka’s experiences within the public sphere after publishing her first book, Fugitive Visions, aided her desire to assist others who related to her experiences. She decided to write a second book, Outsiders Within, as a result.

“I encountered other people, maybe Korean maybe not, who related to me, and I realized [that I] have an ‘in’ to publishing services and should use them to help get others stories out,” Trenka explained when asked how her initial publication helped her to be more giving. This topic, combined with anger and frustration at the injustice of the Korean adoption system and the complexities surrounding international and multi-racial adoption, will encompass the ‘social transformation’ portion of Trenka’s discussion next month. Trenka stresses the “power of words to go and heal the social situation” surrounding adoption and human rights.

“In Korean society, people have all kinds of secrets and they can’t tell anyone as people might discriminate. Korea would be a way better place if people would just let it all hang out. That’s my goal: Koreans, get your freak on,” Trenka laughs.

Trenka referenced a recent Saturday Night Live Korea skit that depicts a young man, adopted internationally, who returns to Korea. In the scene he meets his Korean birth mother and attempts to speak Korean as his mother listens and either laughs or cries (her reaction is not shown to the viewer). The skit portrays an emotional and often painful situation for an international Korean adoptee as comedic.

According to Trenka and other members of the adoption community, the bit is extremely offensive and in poor taste. She paused thoughtfully for a moment after mentioning the skit, adding, “I understand why people are very closeted about all kinds of things in this society.”

Her books describe the grief and confusion she has experienced throughout her journey as an international adoptee and the discussion will center on how the writing process has helped her grow in spite of those experiences. Trenka’s talk will focus on her understanding of writing as a craft and tool to affect interpersonal growth as well as positive social change.

Trenka adds, “I hope people feel more free to share their own stories. This sounds so pedestrian, but just having someone listen to you, you find courage to tell your own story. When someone listens to you, it’s a step toward personal healing.”