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When I was struggling to find a research topic during graduate school, I remember a professor telling me, “Write the book that you always wished you could have read in college.” I started to reflect back to my undergraduate years, thinking about the holes and gaps in my own secondary education. “If only I had been able to read a book on Korean adoption, maybe I would have a better understanding of who I am,” I thought. It was at this moment that I began to conceive my dissertation project, which was the first iteration of this book. As I underwent the process of turning my dissertation into a book, the words of my graduate professor reverberated in my mind. Now, having read the final version of this book, I feel like I have indeed written the book that I have always wanted to read. So many people have supported me along the way. I want to thank them for helping me finally write the book that I had longed to see on my bookshelf those many years ago. First, I want to thank the members of my two dissertation writing groups, who helped me formulate and polish my ideas: Sonjia Hyon and Harrod Suarez, who dedicated their time and energy to make our writing group productive and active despite our long distance from each other; and Kandace Creel Falcón and Alex Mendoza from the Kitchen Table Collective, a writing group for women of color. They read draft after draft of my chapters and were there every time I needed to think through an idea or test out an argument. The extremely insightful and critical feedback I received from these four colleagues undoubtedly made this book stronger. I also want to express appreciation for my graduate school friends at the University of Minnesota, who fostered a rich and stimulating environment for intellectual inquiry. In addition to Alex, Harrod, Kandace, and Sonjia, I want to thank Pamela Butler, Michael David Franklin, Nalo Johnson, Jason Ruiz, 163 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark, and Tlahtoki Xochimeh for their friendship and support. During my tenure at the University of Minnesota, I couldn’t have asked for more dedicated and nurturing faculty members. I especially want to thank Jigna Desai and Rod Ferguson for advising me. They both pushed me and challenged me at just the right times and in just the right ways. Thanks to Jigna, Erika Lee, and Jo Lee for being excellent role models in showing me how to negotiate the demands of family life with the rigors of academic pursuit. These three scholar–teacher–mothers have demonstrated to me that motherhood can actually make one a better teacher and scholar. I am so grateful to have had such wonderful examples in my midst. Several fellowships from the University of Minnesota funded the research and writing of my dissertation. The Leonard Memorial Film Study Fellowship and the Thesis Research Grant that I received from the graduate school, as well as the Scholarly Research Grant from the department of American studies enabled research travel. The Leonard Memorial Film Study Fellowship was particularly valuable: it provided me with not only the resources to conduct research at various archives but also the time to examine and analyze the materials I collected. Toward the later stages of my dissertation, a Summer Dissertation Writing Grant from the department of American studies and the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from the graduate school facilitated the completion my dissertation, providing me with invaluable time to write and revise. I am grateful to the various selection committees who chose to fund my project. Thanks to Linnea Anderson and David Klassen for their assistance and guidance in helping me navigate the Social Welfare History Archives at Anderson Library at the University of Minnesota. In addition, I want to thank International Social Service, United States of America Branch Inc. (ISS-USA), for allowing me to use their records for my research. Thanks also to the staff at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, particularly those working in the Motion Picture, Sound, and Video Records division and the Textual Archives Services Division, for their assistance in helping me locate materials. I am grateful to the various organizations, individuals , and artists who generously granted me permission to reproduce their work. I especially want to thank Bill Brewington at Paramount News, Brian Campbell at Holt International Children’s Services, Max Crow at USS Whitehurst Association, George F. Drake at Korean War Children’s Memorial , Mihee-Nathalie...

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