Hello! I am Steffany Aye, Founder and Executive Director of Adoption & Beyond. I have over 27 years of helping families with adoption. I recently decided to start a YouTube channel to support future adopting families with quality education and guidance called All About Adoption.
During my early years as a social worker, I was attending an open adoption conference in Michigan. I remember having dinner with a lady from the conference but can’t recall her name. The conversation I had with her eventually became a guide for the creation of my YouTube channel. She said: “All the people on the stage are old. The next generation is going to have to come along and take their places.” It was clear she viewed me as the next generation. At first, I dismissed the whole idea, because I am terrified of public speaking and I am shy so how could I be the next generation?
Fast forward to 2020 and with the increase in video conferencing my comfort level on camera also started to increase. I started to reflect on what that woman at the open adoption conference had said to me. I needed to be the next generation. I needed to share my almost 3 decades of knowledge and expertise with others. So, I sat down and hit record for my first video, and now here we are!
Our mission at Adoption & Beyond is to create child-centered adoption for all. All About Adoption opened the door for a platform focusing on educating and nurturing families who are wanting to adopt. Whether you have previously enjoyed the content or just starting your journey with me I am so thankful you are here. I hope that my expertise sheds a little light on your journey. Just remember, you have to start somewhere!
