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Alex Gilbert (adoption advocate)

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Alex Gilbert
File:Alex Gilbert November 2022.jpg
Gilbert in 2022
Born
Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich
(Changed to Sasha Alexander Gilbert)

(1992-04-01) 1 April 1992 (age 32)
Arkhangelsk, Russia
CitizenshipNew Zealand
Russia
Years active2011–present
Known forI'm Adopted
Adoption advocacy
Reunited
YouTube information
ChannelsAlex Gilbert)
Years active2014–present
Genre(s)Adoption
Vlogs
Subscribers25.2 thousand
Total views5 million
Alex Gilbert's voice
recorded April 2021
Last updated: October 11, 2022
Websitealexgilbert.co.nz and imadopted.org

Sasha Alexander Gilbert (Russian: Саша Александр "Алекс" Гилберт; born 1 April 1992) is a Russian born, New Zealand adoption advocate, television writer and presenter. He is the founder of the organisation I'm Adopted[1][2] which he established in 2015.[3]

Gilbert, whose name at birth is Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich[4] was born in Arkhangelsk and was placed in the local orphanage for the first two years of his life until he was adopted by his New Zealand parents in 1994. In 2013 he started searching for his Russian birth parents, with whom he had no connection. He found his birth mother and then his birth father, who did not know about Gilbert's existence until Gilbert contacted him in 2013.[5] The story of his search for his birth parents first aired on New Zealand television in 2014.[6][7]

In 2015 Gilbert established I'm Adopted for adopted people to share their stories as well as a support network for adoptees.[8]

Gilbert has made several appearances on television shows and documentaries about international adoption as well as writing two books.[9][10] Besides advocacy, Gilbert has worked in media and television as well as regularly publishing videos to his own YouTube channel.[11]

Gilbert lived in Russia for over five months in 2021, during this time he filmed the TVNZ series, Reunited, whom he was the presenter and a writer for season one.[12][3]

Early life

Arkhangelsk, Russia, the city Gilbert was born in

Alex Gilbert was born Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich on 1 April 1992 in Arkhangelsk, Russia.[13] Gilbert's mother placed him in a Russian orphanage in Arkhangelsk after he was born.[14] His biological father Mihail did not know of Gilbert's existence until 2013 after hearing through a series of online messages that Gilbert was searching for him. Gilbert's father's name on his birth certificate and adoption papers was falsified.[15]

In 1994, Gilbert and his brother Andrei were adopted by a New Zealand couple. His name was legally changed to Sasha Alexander Gilbert in 1994.[16] He grew up in Whangarei, New Zealand, and lived there until he was 18 years. He moved to Auckland at the beginning of 2011 to study and work in television.[17]

Career

2013–2014: My Russian Side

After an unsuccessful attempt in 2009, Gilbert recommenced for his birth parents in 2013.[18] He used Russian social networking websites and eventually located them. In November 2013, Gilbert travelled to Russia to meet them for the first time. This trip and his meetings with his birth parents was filmed for New Zealand's TV One's Sunday current affairs program, and was broadcast in 2014.[7] He wrote and released his autobiographical book My Russian Side in 2014 along with an autobiographical documentary film.[19][20]

2015–present: I'm Adopted project

In July 2015 Gilbert established the I'm Adopted project to allow other adopted people to share their stories.[2][21] The project is a platform that helps adoptees around the world to share their personal experiences with adoption through social media.[22][23] The project also works to bring adoptees together through meet ups and events. The project is currently available in English, Russian and Spanish with the help of contributors and translators worldwide.[24]

At the end of 2015, Gilbert appeared on Russian 1TV television station's Let them Talk programme highlighting the project and his adoptive New Zealand parents meeting his Russian biological parents for the first time.[25] As of March 2018 it has shared over 300 written or videotaped stories from adoptees around the world. Gilbert also helps organise support groups and meet ups with the I'm Adopted project for adopted people.[4] The project was registered as a New Zealand charitable trust at the beginning of 2017.[1][26] In February 2017, Gilbert was a key speaker at an event at the New Zealand Parliament to help raise awareness for I'm Adopted and its projects.[1][27]

In October 2017 Gilbert went to Russia to revisit his orphanage in Arkhangelsk.[28] This was the first time Gilbert revisited the orphanage since he left in 1994.[29][30]

[31] Gilbert also talked with adopted teenagers and parents in Moscow for a charity that focuses on adoption called Arifmetika Dobra.[32][33] Gilbert also met Anna Kuznetsova, the former Children's Rights Commissioner for the Russian Federation, which was also headquartered in Moscow.[34][35]

Gilbert in 2018

Gilbert shared a video on his experience of him meeting his birth father for the first time on the social news website Reddit in November 2017, going viral and also being published to the LADbible Facebook page.[36][37] In January 2018, Gilbert appeared in a Russian documentary The Man from Nowhere[38] «Человек из ниоткуда» which was directed by Katerina Gordeeva.[39] In July 2018, Gilbert spoke via video at the ICAR6 (International Conference on Adoption Research 6) conference in Montreal, Canada as well as hosting the first I'm Adopted overseas meet up in Galway, Ireland, on 1 August 2018.[40][41]

In June 2019, Gilbert hosted the first podcast based on the I'm Adopted project[42] during 2019 along with announcing his upcoming television show Reunited.[43][44] From March 2020, Gilbert started the I'm Adopted started live talk stream resources for adopted people as well as the ambassador program.[45] Gilbert contributed with the Rudd Adoption Program for the University of Massachusetts Amherst in September, 2020.[46]

I'm Adopted was established as a registered Charity in New Zealand, September, 2020.[47]

2018: I'm Adopted book and orphanage supplies

In early 2018, Gilbert independently released his second autobiography, I'm Adopted. A full-length interview that was based on the book was released in late June. Gilbert collected and hand-delivered supplies for his orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia in October 2018.[48]

In January 2019, the Russian version of his autobiography titled «Я – приёмный сын» (I'm an Adopted Son) in English, was released with a physical limited release with support of the Timchenko Foundation in Moscow, Russia. The book is published by Alpina Books, Russia.[49][50]

2021: Residing in Russia

In the beginning of 2021, Gilbert started to reside temporary in Russia, mostly around inside the Moscow region[51] Gilbert had been documenting his time there by publishing videos to his YouTube Channel.[52] He also met again with his birth mother Tatiana in Rybinsk as well as his birth father, Mihail and his family in Saint Petersburg. He had also visited his place of birth, Arkhangelsk as well as a village inside the Vladimir Oblast and Altai Krai in the Western Siberian region. Gilbert also completed filming for Reunited during his time there. After almost six months, by the end of July 2021, Gilbert went back to New Zealand.[53]

2019-2022: Reunited

In September 2019, TVNZ announced that Gilbert will be hosting his own television series, Reunited.[44] The show focuses on his work with I'm Adopted and the help with adopted people finding their birth families.[43][51][54] The filming for Reunited was finished in 2021.[55] As well as being the presenter for the series, Gilbert also served as one of the writers and the narrator. Season One aired, February 2022 on TVNZ 1 with positive reception, noting Gilberts compassion towards the adopted person. The series was also noted for its cinematography.[56][57][3][58]

Personal life

Gilbert is of East Europe, Russian, Baltic and West Asian ancestry.[59] Gilbert received the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021 while temporarily residing in Moscow, Russia.[60]

Impact of the 2022 Russian invasion

Gilbert noted on his Facebook page about the impact of the 2022 Russian invasion on his family in Russia and his relatives living in a village north of Kyiv, Ukraine. His relatives in Ukraine are the brother and niece of his birth mother, Tatiana.[61]

Achievements

In 2018, Gilbert was nominated for Young New Zealander of the Year, as part of the 2019 New Zealander of the Year Awards as well as a nomination for New Zealander of the Year.[62][63] He also received a certificate of achievement from the Ministry of Health of the Arkhangelsk region in Russia for his orphanage initiative in November, 2018.[64]

In November 2020, Gilbert became a Finalist for the 2020 New Zealand Impact Awards, as part of the Global Category.[65]

Books

  • My Russian Side (Моя Русская семья) (2014) ISBN 978-1-32-002582-9[66]
  • I'm Adopted (Я — приемный сын) (2018) ISBN 978-1983519000[67][50]

Filmography

(Titles that are related to his adoption advocacy)

Television / Films
Year Title Title in Russian Notes
2014 Sunday
2014 My Russian Side Documentary film
2015 Anatomy of the Day[68] «Анатомия дня»
2015 Let Them Talk «Пусть говорят» Season 15, Episode 68[69]
2015 Sunday
2016 Breakfast[70]
2017 TV Rain TV Special about adoption
2018 The Man from Nowhere[71][72][39] «Человек из ниоткуда»[73] Russian documentary,
Directed by Katerina Gordeeva
2018 I'm Adopted - The Interview w/ Meg Andrews[74] «История моего усыновления Интервью

с Мэг Эндрюс»

2018 Live on Air «Прямой эфир»[75]
2019 Seven Sharp[76]
2020 Emma - A Stuff Circuit documentary[77][78]
2021 The Search[79] «Поиски» Russian documentary
2022 Reunited (Season One)[44][80][3] TVNZ Series / Host and Writer

References

  1. ^ a b c "Whangarei's Alex Gilbert helping adoptees share stories". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b Hurley, Sam (22 August 2015). "Whangarei boy who traced Russian roots helps fellow Kiwi adoptees find bloodlines". tvnz.co.nz. TVNZ – One News. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Reunited - TVNZ". www.tvnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "How a Kiwi tracked down his birth parents via social media". RadioLIVE. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  5. ^ Nortorn, Hannah (18 August 2014). "From Russia with Love". The Northern Advocate Herald.co.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  6. ^ "To Russia with Love – TVNZ". TVNZ. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  7. ^ a b Ihaka, James (5 April 2014). "Russian roots reveal childhood links". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Анна Кузнецова: "Помощь приемным детям, которые хотят знать свои русские корни – благородное дело"". Retrieved 1 November 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ "Воспитанники специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии · Новости Архангельска и Архангельской области. Пресс-центр Правительства Архангельской области". dvinanews.ru. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Министерство здравоохранения Архангельской области :: Воспитанники Специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии". www.minzdrav29.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Alex Gilbert - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
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  13. ^ "Новозеландец нашел в Рыбинске родную мать". 76.ru. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  14. ^ Alex Gilbert (19 March 2017), My Russian Side, retrieved 25 July 2017
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  16. ^ Mulroy, Zahra. "This man's 9000 mile journey to meet his birth mum ended with a surprise twist". The Mirror. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  17. ^ Мурашев, Александр. "АЛЕКС ГИЛБЕРТ, КОТОРЫЙ НАШЕЛ МАМУ". sguschenka.com. Sguschenka / Мулбабар. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  18. ^ ""Здравствуйте, я ваш сын. Пишу вам из Новой Зеландии". Парень, усыновленный 20 лет назад, вернулся в Россию к родителям — Daily". gubdaily.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  19. ^ "Второй дубль. Пусть говорят". 1TV Russia. 1TV Russia. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015.
  20. ^ правда», Галина ОНУЧИНА | АО ИД «Комсомольская (20 October 2015). "Парень из Новой Зеландии встретился в Рыбинске с родной матерью, бросившей его в роддоме". АО ИД «Комсомольская правда». Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  21. ^ Newlove, Alexandra (4 November 2015). "Adoption project enthrals Russians". The New Zealand Herald Northern Advocate. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  22. ^ Wade, Amelia (5 June 2016). "Power of social media: He tracked down his birth parents, now he's helping others". New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
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  27. ^ "News from the Beehive: February 2017". newzealandnationalparty.cmail19.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  28. ^ ""Мама сама из детдома, поэтому ей казалось нормальным меня отдать": Новозеландец Алекс Гилберт — о том, как искал своих русских биологических родителей. И нашел!". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  29. ^ "Алекс Гилберт: "Мой жизненный пазл сложился" - Измени одну жизнь". Измени одну жизнь (in Russian). 1 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  30. ^ "Спустя больше 20 лет в Архангельск к родному отцу приехал теперь уже гражданин Новой Зеландии — Алекс Гилберт". www.pomorie.ru. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  31. ^ правды», Дина КАРПИЦКАЯ | Сайт «Комсомольской (30 October 2017). "Как новозеландец, усыновленный 25 лет назад, нашел своих настоящих родителей в России". KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды» (in Russian). Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  32. ^ "Новозеландский адвокат по усыновлению Алекс Гилберт побывал в гостях у фонда "Арифметика добра"". Агентство социальной информации (in Russian). Retrieved 1 November 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  33. ^ "Алекс Гилберт о своей жизни и общественной деятельности / Радио Маяк". radiomayak.ru. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  34. ^ "Алекс Гилберт: приемным детям главное не врать". РИА Новости (in Russian). Retrieved 1 November 2017.
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  36. ^ "Watch: The moment a Kiwi meets his Russian birth father". Newshub. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  37. ^ "LADbible". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  38. ^ "Whangarei adoptee stars in doco in his Russian homeland". NZ Herald. 21 January 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  39. ^ a b Человек из неоткуда, retrieved 13 January 2018
  40. ^ "I'm Adopted Event in Galway, Ireland – I'm Adopted". I'm Adopted. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  41. ^ "Symposium: Innovative approaches to creating adoption communities for young people | ICAR". ICAR (in French). Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  42. ^ I'm Adopted: The Podcast, retrieved 3 July 2019
  43. ^ a b "'I'm Adopted' founder launches TV show to reunite adoptees with birth families". Stuff. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  44. ^ a b c "Russian-Kiwi adoptee on a quest to help others reunite with their birth parents". TVNZ. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  45. ^ "I'm Adopted - Talk". I'm Adopted. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  46. ^ "Virtual Conference 2020-2021 | Rudd Adoption Research Program". www.umass.edu. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  47. ^ "Charities Services | Home". www.register.charities.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  48. ^ Hammond, Courtney (11 October 2018). "Russian orphanage to benefit from Whangārei adoptee Alex Gilbert". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  49. ^ "Я – приемный сын". ebook.alpina.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  50. ^ a b ""Я – приёмный сын" - книга Алекса Гилберта вышла на русском языке при поддержке Фонда Тимченко". Фонд Тимченко (in Russian). 16 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  51. ^ a b "Детский омбудсмен провела встречу с руководителями некоммерческих организаций из Новой Зеландии и России". Уполномоченный при Президенте Российской Федерации по правам ребенка (in Russian). Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  52. ^ "Александр Гилберт вырос в Новой Зеландии, а своих биологических родителей нашел в России. Теперь он помогает усыновленным людям со всего мира сделать то же самое Вот его история". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  53. ^ "Facebook".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  54. ^ "Анна Кузнецова встретилась с усыновленным из России Алексом Гилбертом". Уполномоченный при Президенте Российской Федерации по правам ребенка (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  55. ^ My Full Story of Living in Russia This Year as an Adoptee and My View on Russia, retrieved 9 October 2021
  56. ^ "Madam Secretary: TVNZ nabs Tea Leoni's popular political drama". Stuff. 10 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  57. ^ "Reunited S1 E1". www.tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  58. ^ "Reunited". Reunited. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  59. ^ Alex Gilbert (17 February 2019), I'm Adopted | I Did a Ancestry DNA Test - My Results, retrieved 19 February 2019
  60. ^ Gilbert, Alex (16 February 2021). "Back in Russia!". I'm Adopted. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  61. ^ "Alex Gilbert on Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  62. ^ "Russian-born adoptees find their families in local series Reunited". Stuff. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  63. ^ "Alex Gilbert on Facebook".
  64. ^ "Воспитанники специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии · Новости Архангельска и Архангельской области. Пресс-центр Правительства Архангельской области". dvinanews.ru. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  65. ^ "2020 Finalists". The Impact Awards. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  66. ^ My Russian Side. OCLC 888031209.
  67. ^ "Важные вопросы для приёмных детей". Наши истории (in Russian). 27 December 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
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  69. ^ Пусть говорят (23 December 2015), Пусть говорят - Второй дубль. Выпуск от 22.12.2015, retrieved 3 January 2018
  70. ^ "'I'm Adopted': Alex Gilbert's story – Breakfast – 03 May 2016". TVNZ – One News Now. TVNZ. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016. Alex is now looking at tracing other children from his orphanage who were adopted into New Zealand, visit imadopted.org to learn more.
  71. ^ "Катерина Гордеева: "Любовь к приемным детям – это не паралич сердца, а действие" - Измени одну жизнь". Измени одну жизнь (in Russian). 21 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  72. ^ "Новые серии фильма Катерины Гордеевой – о тайне усыновления и возвратах сирот | Милосердие.ru". Милосердие.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  73. ^ "Фонд "Измени одну жизнь" и Катерина Гордеева представляют фильм "Человек из ниоткуда" - Измени одну жизнь". Измени одну жизнь (in Russian). 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  74. ^ Alex Gilbert (15 June 2018), I'm Adopted - The Interview w/ Meg Andrews, retrieved 16 June 2018
  75. ^ Прямой эфир, Страшная тайна рождения русской американки. Андрей Малахов. Прямой эфир от 28.11.18, retrieved 6 December 2018
  76. ^ "Russian-Kiwi adoptee on a quest to help others reunite with their birth parents". TVNZ. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  77. ^ Penfold, Paula. "To Russia for Love". interactives.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  78. ^ Circuit, Stuff. "EMMA - A Stuff Circuit documentary". interactives.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  79. ^ ""Поиски": ЛенТВ24 покажет фильм о детях, усыновленных за границу в 90-е, и их поисках семьи". lentv24.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  80. ^ "'I'm Adopted' founder launches TV show to reunite adoptees with birth families". Stuff. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
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