Also-Known-As 30th Anniversary FRIDAY AM programming

Registration

• Breakfast Food Crawl through the East Village (9-11AM)
  Join a breakfast food crawl with Also-Known-As Vice President, Sara Crayne-Dedrick and Board Member, Ryan Dritz!. We are going to peruse 4 different locations throughout the east village and scout the best coffee, breakfast burrito, bagels, sweet treat. Ideally all take-out options with casual seating.
  Cost: $20 per diem per person with any additional costs Pay-Your-Way
• Explore the Cooper Hewitt Museum (10-11:30AM)
  A tour at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum offers a beautiful blend of art, history, and innovation inside the former Carnegie Mansion on Museum Mile. Visitors can explore exhibitions that span graphic design, fashion, architecture, technology, and everyday objects – showing how design shapes the way we live. From immersive interactive galleries to the museum’s lush outdoor garden, Cooper Hewitt invites curiosity, hands-on engagement, and fresh perspectives on both classic and contemporary design.
• Grounded: A Yoga Gathering for Adoptees with instructor and adoptee Callie Chamberlain (9:30-10:30AM)
  Join us for a gentle yoga class led by Callie Chamberlain created specifically for adoptees. This practice centers breath, grounding, and self-connection, offering space to listen to your body and emotions without judgment. No prior yoga experience required — just come as you are.
  
  There is a capacity of 15 people (only 12 mats available on-site) so we do ask for you to let us know ASAP if your plans may change following registration. We invite you to BYO-mat if you’re local.
• Jogging Tour of Central Park + NYC Bagels with Adoptee Tara Shen Nolan (9-11am)
  A nice casual 5k (3mile) jog through Central Park where you can learn a little history from a professional tour guide and get a pleasant workout in before the rest of the day. The jog will cover iconic locations such as the Mall, Arcade, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields, and tons of opportunities to take photos. There will be stops along the way and encourage participants who can maintain a walk/ jog pace for up to 45minutes. Afterwards, participants will have an opportunity to pick up a classic NYC Bagel.
• Writing Workshop with Lynne Connor - Light breakfast included (10AM-12pm)
  The very act of creative writing writes us into existence. By following the Amherst Writers & Artists method, we adoptees will untangle issues of abandonment, rejection, home, belonging, grief and loss of identity, family, culture and race —that are trapped inside our bodies. In the Lost Lit Adoptee Writing Workshop, a prompt will be given. We’ll write, then voluntarily read our story aloud (or skip). All feedback is positive, craft-oriented and treats the writing like fiction. This process allows our voices to be heard, our trauma to be released, and our authentic selves to be fully seen and acknowledged.