On the evening of November 3, 1998, I sat nervously in a banquet room.

I was in a Portland, Oregon hotel tearing up cocktail napkins while waiting for the decision of the Oregon voters. The question in everyone's mind was the same as all eyes were glued to the lone television set. Would the Oregon people see the injustice of sealed records?

It had been a long year for everyone who had campaigned heavily for Measure 58. We had worked tirelessly to educate a public who knew little about the sealed records system. When the returns started coming in, the cheer in the room grew deafening.

Adoptees, birthparents and adoptive parents alike realized we were making history this night. Our voices had been heard and the voters agreed. The air was electric, full of celebration.

The cheer that started in this hotel banquet room quickly echoed around the country. Triad members everywhere were tuning in to get election results. No matter where we lived, Oregon was a part of us. Our hopes were coming true tonight, and our hard work was paying off.

As an adoptee I am very proud to be a part of this movement. These winds of change are restoring hope to adult adoptees everywhere. Our days of being treated as second class citizens are nearing an end.

We've only just begun.

Julie Dennis is a reunited adoptee of Native American ancestry. She serves as administrator of Reunions Online: A Free Adoption Reunion Registry, intake director and financial officer of Terminal Illness Emergency Search (TIES), and board member of Washington State Open '99.