To give you a sense of what adoption: a gathering is all about, here's a quote from the origional mission statement.

For anyone touched by adoption, this site will be a safe place to gather and draw strength from our shared experiences as a community. The web is the ideal tool to build and support just such a community.

The web's anonymity creates a safe place to explore, and hopefully shed, the shame and fear. Its ability to hold the door open allows this burgeoning community to define our own issues and identity. Its public nature can showcase an otherwise hidden topic and experience. The context of the web itself also provides vast and diverse resources to any participant.

Darren Korn and Suki Jones are the co-creators of a gathering. Since meeting 10 years ago on the roof of a hot dog stand, they've collaborated on life and a number of other projects, inluding a road-trip/photo essay of pool halls across the US and marathon domino tournaments.

Suki (in the hammock on the left) is a reunited adoptee whose family, at last count, included 2 moms, 3 dads, 4 brothers, 2 sisters-in-law, 5 grandparents, 1 great-grandparent, 4 nieces, 1 nephew, 12 uncles, 9 aunts and 19 cousins. She also teaches 5th grade in a bilingual Spanish/English classroom in Oakland, CA. When she's not teaching, visiting family, or working on this site, you'd think she'd just relax. Instead, she makes videos, writes, draws, hikes with Darren and Lupo (the dog), plays canasta, and makes stick puppets.

Darren (hammock on the right) ran screaming from the Haas School of Business and found sanctuary at the Peace and Conflict Studies program at UC Berkeley, where he graduated with honors. Since then he's been solving conflicts, creating peace, and disseminating propaganda with Rainforest Action Network, Wood Reduction Clearinghouse and Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology. When he's not busy saving the earth, working on this site, or visiting Suki's family, he does not drink coffee nor watch TV. Instead, he brews beer, gardens, plays a mean game of Scrabble, paints, hikes with Suki and Lupo, and stages stick puppet theatre.

They both believe that life is for doing good and having fun.

Angela Fung is the graphic designer of a gathering. She is also Creative Director at @radical.media's New Media Group and an educator at Parsons School of Design. Fung's new media credentials include interactive projects for Sotheby's, MSNBC, Chiat/Day, and Harper Collins Interactive. She has also worked on commercial animation for Marvel, Nike, and Coca-Cola. Angela holds a B.A. in English Literature with Creative Writing from Dartmouth College, and an M.F.A. in Painting from Parsons School of Design.

Zachariah Nobel is the scripting wizard for a gathering. He is also Internet Services Manager at the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology. When he is not working his CGI magic, he spends his time meandering along the many hiking trials in the Berkeley & Oakland hills, studying to become an aikido master, and exploring the wonders of South Asian cuisine.

weblab staff

supervising producer Barry Joseph

executive producer Marc Weiss

project manager Suzanne Seggerman

contact information

adoption: a gathering
pob 13315-232
Oakland, CA 94661
phone: 510.482.3731
email: gathering@weblab.org