Black Market Adoption: Patricia Knight Meyer’s Search for Truth and Belonging

Send us Fan Mail Imagine growing up without knowing whether the birthday you celebrate is even your real birthday. When I sat down with author and adoption reform advocate Patricia Knight Meyer, that detail stopped me. Patricia shared how she was sold as an infant through a black market adoption in Texas and raised without a legal adoption ever being completed. At 12, she learned her parents did not have her birth certificate. After becoming a mother at 19, she began asking questions that revealed even more uncertainty about her own beginnings. As she spoke, I kept thinking about how much we take for granted when we know where we come from. We talked about adoption trauma, identity, belonging, and the pressure to be grateful while carrying pain that others may not understand. What particularly struck me was Patricia’s honesty about trying to save the people who raised her, and how her fear of abandonment shaped her boundaries and her own parenting. She also shared what it meant to obtain an accurate birth certificate at 47. There was relief, but also grief and complexity. I appreciated her willingness to make room for all of it. Her memoir, Wonderland: Memoir of a Black Market Adoption, gives her space to tell the story in her own words. During our conversation, she made it clear that her purpose is to help other adoptees find their truth and bring attention to the changes she believes are needed. If you have ever felt responsible for protecting everyone else’s feelings while keeping your own tucked away, this conversation is for you. Connect with Patricia and explore her memoir and adoption resources at https://myadoptedlife.com and https://wonderlandthememoir.com. https://amzn.to/4xcQ4Wx. Pre-order my book:  Wonderland Book Launch Event Virtual & In-Person Down the Rabbit Hole: The Fight for Texas Adoptee Rights Then and Now Celebrating the release of WONDERLAND Watch free from anywhere FREE LIVESTREAM on Friday, November 6, 2026, 6:00 to 7:45 PM Central Register for free: https://bit.ly/3So4W6f Livestream link and countdown: wonderlandthememoir.com The recording will be posted on the NAAP YouTube channel about a week later: https://www.youtube.com/@naapunited ✨ READY TO TURN YOUR STORY INTO AUTHORITY? I’m Julie Fairhurst - publisher, executive producer, story and sales strategist, and founder of Women Like Me Media. After 34 years in sales, helping approximately 3,000 clients, publishing more than 350 women’s stories, and hosting over 400 interviews, I know this: Your story is not simply something that happened to you. It is part of your wisdom, your credibility, and the work you are here to do. Whether you are ready to write your story, publish your book, strengthen your message, sell with greater confidence, or become more visible, I can help you take the next step. Your voice matters. Your experience has value. And you do not need to remain the best-kept secret in your industry. Visit https://juliefairhurst.com to explore coaching, publishing, podcast opportunities, and visibility programs. 🎙️ Subscribe to Women Like Me Stories & Business for honest conversations with women who are turning what they have lived and learned into purpose, leadership, and lasting impact. Julie Fairhurst Founder & CEO, Women Like Me Media Publisher • Executive Producer • Story & Sales Strategist Soft heart. Strong voice. Clear invitation. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━