Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
My Unknown Truth is a podcast sharing the stories and lived experiences of Australians who have been through adoption and foster care.
These stories are often complex, spanning over 50 years and touch on difficult truths, from growing up in an under-resourced system to Australia’s traumatic history of forced adoptions and Stolen Generations.
But within the darkness, there is also light; stories of hope, courage, resilience, and love. Hosted by Nadia Levett, an adoptee born and raised in Australia, this podcast is a deeply personal project.
It’s my wish that by sharing a range of voices and experiences, we can build greater awareness and understanding around adoption and foster care in Australia, spark informed conversations, and encourage others to share their truth, open hearts, minds, and homes to children in need.
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
Episode 34 - FRAGILE, Handle with Care: Barton C Williams Story of War, Art & Identity
Hi listeners, today I am speaking with Barton.
A former Surf Life Saver, Australian barefoot water ski champion and an educator, Barton is also a published writer, an actor in film, tv, and theatre. He is also a Vietnamese war adoptee.
In April 1975, President Ford initiated the largest-ever humanitarian child evacuation. Thousands of babies were "lifted" from war-torn Vietnam to Western countries to begin a new life.
Barton C Williams (aka Huynh van Cuong) was one of these children. He was adopted and raised in Adelaide.
'FRAGILE' began as a children’s book, written by Barton in 2018, called 'But What Are You?'. In 2020, Barton wrote 'Precious Cargo', a play presented as a staged reading at Rumahfest and at The London Vaults Festival with Mohamad Faizal Abdullah.
In 2022, Barton co-developed 'Precious Cargo' with Scottish theatre company “Sruth Mara” into a solo show which premiered at An Lanntair Theatre (Isle of Lewis), and then at Summerhall in the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
And now, the story is coming home, to Australia!
Barton will be performing at the Adelaide Fringe festival in a new version of his adoption story called; “FRAGILE, Handle with care” starting February 22nd. A multi-facet production covering themes of the Vietnam war, Adoption, displacement, resilience and paying homage to Australia and the US.
Fifty years on, many are still searching for their biological parents. After his performance in Adelaide Barton will return to Chicago for two weeks before heading off to help fundraise for a charity ride in Vietnam, raising money and awareness to mothers who lost children during the Vietnam war;
If you would like to know more about the Adelaide fringe festival head to – https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/fragile-handle-with-care-af2025
If you would like to know more about the Vietnam family search charity bike ride check out - https://vietnamfamilysearch.com/about-2/
If you wish to reach out to Barton directly, he can be found on all social media platforms.
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The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
