China’s one-child policy, implemented in 1982 and lasting until 2015, aimed to control the population growth by limiting most families to one child. This policy resulted in a significant increase in abandonment and international adoption. It particularly affected girls due to a cultural preference for male children. Emma Ming Fuller, now 24, was one of those children. Adopted from the Mingshan District by American parents, she grew up in Los Angeles, California. Despite her gratitude towards her adoptive family, Ming Fuller is now reflecting on her past and the impact of being raised in a predominantly white environment.

Beginnings in Central China

At just three months old, Ming Fuller was found abandoned outside a government building in China. A passerby discovered her with a handwritten note indicating her birth date and took her to the local police. Authorities recorded her as “abandoned,” and she spent over a year in a Mingshan orphanage before being adopted. During her time there, she was malnourished and shared a crib with another child.

For much of her life, she dismissed this early experience, but she recently realized it shaped her significantly. “When I began dating, I noticed significant attachment patterns in myself and went to therapy,” Ming Fuller told Newsweek. Her therapist helped her see that adoption had impacted many areas of her life. This realization was challenging because she had always believed her adoption had no impact due to the love from her parents.

The “Living Adopted” Project

This realization led Ming Fuller to create “Living Adopted,” a video series where she discusses her experiences growing up as a Chinese adoptee in the U.S. and as an adult dealing with identity and relationships. “I explore daily challenges linked to my adoption story,” she mentioned. She began sharing her experiences on social media to connect with others facing similar issues.

One video on her Instagram account, @emmamingfuller, has gained significant attention, with over 25,000 likes. In it, she shares, “I lived in an entirely white community where no one looked like me. That’s why I’m starting a series about being adopted from China as an adult.” Ming Fuller discusses how, although she didn’t remember her adoption, she is learning how her body recalls different traumas.

Her series covers topics like identity, self-love, eating struggles, and grief, which adoptees often navigate.

The Legacy of China’s Policy on Adoption

The one-child policy was strictly enforced through fines, contraception, and sometimes forced sterilizations and abortions. Its impact was profound, leading to overpopulated orphanages and increased international adoptions.

Ming Fuller continues to grapple with questions about her history and place within it. “I’ll be honest, I’m not yet at a space where I’ve immersed myself in Chinese culture,” she stated. Her focus is on understanding herself and figuring out her connection to her birthplace.

Her advice to fellow adoptees is to be patient. “Unpacking everything has been challenging, but it has helped me understand myself better,” she shared. She emphasizes the importance of taking one’s time in this journey of self-discovery and understanding the impacts of adoption.

If you wish to contact the editors on this story, Kara Dolman and Emma Lee-Sang are available for inquiries.