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
Kayla Obenour, Emily Singer, & Marlene L'Abbe
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What does it mean to truly love someone exactly as they are — not as a project to improve, but as a whole and complete person?
That question is at the heart of this episode of The Anna Jinja Show, and the answers from our three guests are ones I believe every professional — in education, healthcare, counseling, or leadership — needs to hear.
Kayla Obenour is a speech-language pathologist, author, and disability advocate. Her daughter Nora — who is adopted, has a disability, and is neurodivergent — has been her greatest teacher. Kayla's insight is deceptively simple and profoundly important: "Love and advocacy are not just feelings. They're practical, daily commitments." She stopped trying to fix Nora and started changing the environments that needed to change.
Emily Singer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specializing in complex developmental trauma. She's also a musician whose song "Exactly Who You Are" opens this episode. Emily reminds us that in therapy — and in life — what truly heals isn't technique. It's being genuinely seen.
Marlene L'Abbé is a painter and international designer whose portraits capture the inner essence of her subjects. She brings a visual and spiritual lens to the conversation — one that asks us: what do we truly see when we look at another person?
This episode is a masterclass in radical inclusion — and a reminder that seeing someone clearly is itself a form of love.
"Every single person, if you could truly see and know and understand them, you would love them so instantly — so effortlessly."
Listen to the full episode and discover what this kind of seeing can unlock — in your work, your relationships, and yourself.
Guest Links:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/marlene-labbe
https://albanycounseling.com/our-team/
https://www.amazon.com/Did-You-Know-Love-Yourself/dp/1662455925