Alex Gilbert (adoption advocate)
Alex Gilbert | |
---|---|
![]() Gilbert in 2020 | |
Born | Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich (Changed to Sasha Alexander Gilbert) 1 April 1992 Arkhangelsk, Russia |
Nationality | New Zealand |
Years active | 2011–present |
Known for | I'm Adopted Adoption Awareness 'My Russian Side' |
Website | alexgilbert.co.nz and imadopted.org |
Sasha Alexander "Alex" Gilbert (Russian: Саша Александр "Алекс" Гилберт; born 1 April 1992) is a Russian-born, New Zealand-based adoption advocate. He is the founder of the project I'm Adopted[1][2][3][4][5] which he established in 2015.
Gilbert, whose original name is Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich[6] 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 biological father, who did not know about Gilbert's existence until Gilbert contacted him in 2013. The story of his search for his birth parents first aired on New Zealand television in 2014.[7][8][9]
In 2015 Gilbert created the project I'm Adopted to help people find their birth parents, and for families to search for their lost connections.[10][11][12][13]
Gilbert has made several appearances on television shows and documentaries about international adoption. He has also written two books, My Russian Side in 2014 and his autobiography I'm Adopted which was independently released in 2018. Gilbert has also helped his old orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia with his own initiative by personally handing over a box of gifts for the children in late November, 2018.[14][15][16][17] Besides advocacy, Gilbert has worked in media and television.
Early life
Alex Gilbert was born Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich on 1 April 1992 in Arkhangelsk, Russia.[18] Gilbert's mother placed him in a Russian orphanage in Arkhangelsk after he was born.[19] 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.[20]
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.[21] 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.[22]
Career
2013–2014: My Russian Side
After an unsuccessful attempt in 2009, Gilbert recommenced for his birth parents in 2013.[23] 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.[8][24] He wrote and released his autobiographical book My Russian Side in 2014 along with an autobiographical documentary film.[25][26]
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.[4][27][28][29] [30][31][32][33] The project is a platform that helps adoptees around the world to share their personal experiences with adoption through social media.[34][35] The project also works to bring adoptees together through meet ups and events.[36][37] The project is currently available in English, Russian[38] and Spanish with the help of contributors and translators worldwide.[39]
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.[40][41] As of March 2018[update] 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.[6] The project was registered as a New Zealand charitable trust at the beginning of 2017.[1][42] 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][43]
In October 2017 Gilbert went to Russia to revisit his orphanage in Arkhangelsk.[44][45] This was the first time Gilbert revisited the orphanage since he left in 1994.[46][10][11][47] Gilbert also talked with adopted teenagers and parents in Moscow for a charity that focuses on adoption called Арифметика добра.[48][49][50][51] Gilbert also met Anna Kuznetsova, Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation for the first time, which was also headquartered in Moscow. Gilbert met her again in November 2019.[12][52][53][13][54]
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. Since it was posted, the video reached over 250,000 views within three days and was also posted on the LADbible Facebook page which gained over 1.4 million views overnight.[55][56][57][58] In January 2018, Gilbert appeared in a Russian documentary The Man from Nowhere[59] «Человек из ниоткуда» which was directed by Katerina Gordeeva.[60] 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.[61][62][63][64]
In June 2019, Gilbert established the first podcast based on the I'm Adopted project along with announcing his upcoming television show Reunited.[65][66][67][68][69]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Alex_Gilbert_-_Anna_Kuznetsova_%E2%80%93_November_2019.jpg/301px-Alex_Gilbert_-_Anna_Kuznetsova_%E2%80%93_November_2019.jpg)
2018: I'm Adopted book and orphanage supplies initiative
In early 2018, Gilbert released his second book and autobiography I'm Adopted independently. A full-length interview that was based on the book was released in late June with Meg Andrews. Gilbert started an initiative collecting supplies for his orphanage in Arkhangelsk, Russia in October 2018.[70]
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.[71][72]
2019-present: Reunited
In September 2019, TVNZ announced that Gilbert will be hosting his own television series, Reunited that is due for release in 2020. The show focuses on his work with I'm Adopted and the help with adopted people finding their families. [69][67][33]In November 2019, Gilbert again met with Anna Kuznetsova, The Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation again in Moscow, Russia to talk about the development of the television series as well as opening up access to more records for adopted children from Russia.[73]
Personal life
Family
Gilbert is of East Europe, Russian, Baltic and Western Asia ancestry as well as a small percentage of Scandinavian and Central Asia.[74]
Achievements
In 2018, Gilbert was nominated for Young New Zealander of the Year, as part of the 2019 New Zealander of the Year Awards.[75] 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.[76]
Books
- My Russian Side (Моя Русская семья) (2014) ISBN 978-1-32-002582-9[16]
- I'm Adopted (Я — приемный сын)[77] (2018)[78][79][80][81] ISBN 978-1983519000[17][82][83][72][71]
Filmography
(Titles that are related to his adoption advocacy)
Year | Title | Title in Russian | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Sunday | ||
2014 | My Russian Side | Documentary film | |
2015 | Anatomy of the Day[84] | «Анатомия дня» | |
2015 | Let Them Talk | «Пусть говорят» | Season 15, Episode 68[85] |
2015 | Sunday | ||
2016 | Breakfast[2] | ||
2017 | TV Rain | TV Special about adoption | |
2018 | The Man from Nowhere[86][87][60] | «Человек из ниоткуда»[88] | Russian documentary, Directed by Katerina Gordeeva |
2018 | I'm Adopted - The Interview w/ Meg Andrews[89] | «История моего усыновления Интервью
с Мэг Эндрюс» |
|
2018 | Live on Air | «Прямой эфир»[90] | |
2019 | Seven Sharp[91] | ||
TBA | Reunited[69][92] | TVNZ Series |
References
- ^ a b c "Whangarei's Alex Gilbert helping adoptees share stories". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- ^ a b "'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.
- ^ "ICANZ Annual Report 2015" (PDF). ICANZ. Inter Country Adoption New Zealand: 5. June 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
He has now set up a Facebook page specifically for young adult adoptees called I Am Adopted.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Clifford, Robert (2015). "Modern Adoption Exploring Technology and innovation in Adoption" (PDF). Winston Churchill Memorial Trust: 34–34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "To Russia with Love – TVNZ". TVNZ. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- ^ a b Ihaka, James (5 April 2014). "Russian roots reveal childhood links". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
- ^ Nortorn, Hannah (18 August 2014). "From Russia with Love". The Northern Advocate Herald.co.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Спустя больше 20 лет в Архангельск к родному отцу приехал теперь уже гражданин Новой Зеландии — Алекс Гилберт". www.pomorie.ru. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b "Alex Gilbert". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ a b "Анна Кузнецова: "Помощь приемным детям, которые хотят знать свои русские корни – благородное дело"". Retrieved 1 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Министерство здравоохранения Архангельской области :: Воспитанники Специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии". www.minzdrav29.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ a b My Russian Side. OCLC 888031209.
- ^ a b Gilbert, Alex (10 January 2018). I'm Adopted. Amazon. ISBN 9781983519000.
- ^ "Новозеландец нашел в Рыбинске родную мать". 76.ru. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- ^ Alex Gilbert (19 March 2017), My Russian Side, retrieved 25 July 2017
- ^ "Alex Gilbert: Russian adoptee helping connect the dots". Radio New Zealand. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Мурашев, Александр. "АЛЕКС ГИЛБЕРТ, КОТОРЫЙ НАШЕЛ МАМУ". sguschenka.com. Sguschenka / Мулбабар. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ^ ""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.
- ^ "「生みの母に会いたい」SNSで情報を手に入れ、遠いロシアへ渡った青年の思い". Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Второй дубль. Пусть говорят". 1TV Russia. 1TV Russia. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "One day: I found my Russian birth mother after two decades". New Zealand Women’s Weekly. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Новозеландец нашел в Рыбинске родную мать". yaroslavl.bezformata.ru. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "One year on since 'I'm Adopted' was founded". Mediaworks / TV3 / Paul Henry. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ^ ""Мне всегда хотелось выяснить, кто мои родители и почему они меня бросили" | Филантроп". Филантроп (in Russian). 19 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
- ^ Newlove, Alexandra (7 August 2015). "Russian adoptee shares stories". The Northern Advocate. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ Newlove, Alexandra (4 November 2015). "Adoption project enthrals Russians". The New Zealand Herald Northern Advocate. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Russian siblings find their younger brother in Auckland after 18 years". Stuff. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "This website could help you find your birth parents through social media". Family Topics | SBS. SBS Australia. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Russian adoptee helps find relatives". Stuff. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
- ^ Sergel, Michael. "Queen gives support for Kiwi's 'I'm Adopted' project". www.newstalkzb.co.nz. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ ""Я хочу знать, почему": приемные дети ищут кровных родителей | Милосердие.ru". Милосердие.ru (in Russian). 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ "Россиянин, усыновлённый новозеландской парой, открыл сервис для поиска родных". www.russkiymir.ru. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ^ "The Kiwi start up that helps people find their birth parents goes international". Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ "Site helping adoptees find birth parents". Otago Daily Times Online News. 25 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
- ^ "Усыновленный иностранцами россиянин нашел родителей спустя 23 года". Российская газета (in Russian). 27 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
- ^ "News from the Beehive: February 2017". newzealandnationalparty.cmail19.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ ""Я написал ему "ВКонтакте" с помощью переводчика: Здравствуйте, я думаю, что я ваш сын". Как новозеландец нашел своего биологического отца в Петербурге" (in Russian). 25 December 2017. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
- ^ ""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.
- ^ "Алекс Гилберт: "Мой жизненный пазл сложился" - Измени одну жизнь". Измени одну жизнь (in Russian). 1 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ правды», Дина КАРПИЦКАЯ | Сайт «Комсомольской (1 November 2017). "Родная кровь: усыновлённый в Новую Зеландию сирота через 20 лет нашел своих русских родителей". KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды» (in Russian). Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ "В фонде "Арифметика добра" прошла встреча с автором проекта поиска кровных родителей Алексом Гилбертом | Филантроп". Филантроп (in Russian). 31 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ "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]
- ^ "Фонд "Арифметика добра" принял в гостях Алекса Гилберта, автора международного проекта поиска кровных родителей - Московская Благотворительность - ваш гид по благотворительности в Москве". moscowcharity.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Алекс Гилберт о своей жизни и общественной деятельности / Радио Маяк". radiomayak.ru. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ "Alex Gilbert". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Алекс Гилберт: приемным детям главное не врать". РИА Новости (in Russian). Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ "Русская семья Алекса Гилберта". Retrieved 15 December 2017.
- ^ "Watch: The moment a Kiwi meets his Russian birth father". Newshub. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ^ Alex Gilbert (15 November 2017), My Birth Father in Russia didn't know I existed - This is our bond, retrieved 21 November 2017
- ^ "A New Zealander tracks down his Father in Russia, who didn't know he had a son. • r/videos". reddit. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
- ^ "LADbible". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- ^ "Whangarei adoptee stars in doco in his Russian homeland". NZ Herald. 21 January 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- ^ a b Человек из неоткуда, retrieved 13 January 2018
- ^ "I'm Adopted Event in Galway, Ireland – I'm Adopted". I'm Adopted. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Symposium: Innovative approaches to creating adoption communities for young people | ICAR". ICAR (in French). Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Alex Gilbert". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "I'm Adopted - Galway, Ireland - Meet Up". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ I'm Adopted: The Podcast, retrieved 3 July 2019
- ^ Cowan, John. "Interview: Alex Gilbert". ZB. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ a b "'I'm Adopted' founder launches TV show to reunite adoptees with birth families". Stuff. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Russian siblings find their younger brother in Auckland after 18 years". Stuff. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "Russian-Kiwi adoptee on a quest to help others reunite with their birth parents". TVNZ. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ Hammond, Courtney (11 October 2018). "Russian orphanage to benefit from Whangārei adoptee Alex Gilbert". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Я – приемный сын". ebook.alpina.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Анна Кузнецова встретилась с усыновленным из России Алексом Гилбертом". Уполномоченный при Президенте Российской Федерации по правам ребенка (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ^ Alex Gilbert (17 February 2019), I'm Adopted | I Did a Ancestry DNA Test - My Results, retrieved 19 February 2019
- ^ "Alex Gilbert on Facebook".
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Неродная родня. Как складываются судьбы украинских приемных детей - репортаж НВ". nv.ua. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "Alex Gilbert". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Alex Gilbert". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ "I'm Adopted by Alex Gilbert on iBooks". iBooks. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ^ Gilbert, Alex (19 January 2018). I'm Adopted. Alex Gilbert. ASIN B078YDN19V.
- ^ "Я Приёмный Ребёнок". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ^ "Важные вопросы для приёмных детей". Наши истории (in Russian). 27 December 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ ntv.ru. "Житель Новой Зеландии приехал в Россию, чтобы найти своих биологических родителей". НТВ. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ Пусть говорят (23 December 2015), Пусть говорят - Второй дубль. Выпуск от 22.12.2015, retrieved 3 January 2018
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Новые серии фильма Катерины Гордеевой – о тайне усыновления и возвратах сирот | Милосердие.ru". Милосердие.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Alex Gilbert (15 June 2018), I'm Adopted - The Interview w/ Meg Andrews, retrieved 16 June 2018
- ^ Прямой эфир, Страшная тайна рождения русской американки. Андрей Малахов. Прямой эфир от 28.11.18, retrieved 6 December 2018
- ^ "Russian-Kiwi adoptee on a quest to help others reunite with their birth parents". TVNZ. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ "'I'm Adopted' founder launches TV show to reunite adoptees with birth families". Stuff. Retrieved 28 October 2019.