The Anna Jinja Show
The Anna Jinja show focuses on the stories, issues, and questions connected to adoption and foster care experiences.
The host is an international adoptee with biological roots in Korea and adopted roots in the United States. As you can imagine, her journey and experiences as a transracial adoptee are multifaceted. Her experiences have been with the pain of discrimination and rejection as well as the joys of self-discovery and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity.
Along the way, she has discovered that she is not alone. We’re all – in some ways – adopted into or out of homes, cultures, communities, and relationships as we grow and evolve. This show illuminates the theme of adoption, in all ways, in our lives. And how those experiences create who we are and who we are yet to be.
Her hope is that through engaging with the guests and creative content, we are welcomed home in this world, cradled in the belief that we belong, that we are worthy, and that we are loved.
So stay tuned, and you may discover your own adoption story.
The Anna Jinja Show
Muffin's Mom & Marshall McKellar Part 1
The Five-Minute Bond: A Story of Serendipity and Family
What would you do with five minutes that could define a lifetime?
In our latest episode, we share the remarkable story of Shannon, who discovered that her 16-year-old birth mother made one powerful demand before signing adoption papers: five minutes alone with her newborn daughter. Just five minutes - but in those moments, a bond was formed that would reshape two families forever.
Twenty years later, when Shannon finally connected with her birth mother Jan, she learned they had been neighbors, passing each other on morning walks, completely unaware of their profound connection. Today, their families are inseparable - sharing holidays, vacations, and life's most precious moments.
This isn't just about adoption; it's about the invisible threads that connect us all. It's about the courage to demand five minutes when that's all you have. It's about the magic that happens when strangers become family.
Musician Marshall McKellar joins us with his powerful song "Runaway Mustang," capturing that universal search for belonging we all experience. As someone who grew up in a fostering family, Marshall understands the transformative power of chosen family.
Shannon's daughter Emily, now a proud Bobcat at Ohio University, represents the beautiful continuation of this story - proof that love creates legacies that span generations.
This episode will make you believe in serendipity, remind you that family comes in many forms, and leave your heart fuller than when you started listening.