ASTORIA – The Greek Elder Care Network presented the Hellenic-American Project (HAP) live oral history interview with Dr. Nicholas Alexiou, the founder and director of HAP and a sociology professor at Queens College, CUNY, and Eftychia/Linda Carol Trotter, a Greek-born adoptee and the founder/president of the nonprofit organization, The Eftychia Project, on September 14 at the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2024, The Eftychia Project, assists and supports, free of charge, Greek adoptees searching for their roots and Greek families searching for their children lost to adoption.

The fascinating event, open to the public and done in a talk show-style theater setting, highlighted the profound impact and historical significance of the questionable Cold War adoptions abroad of thousands of Greek children, mainly to the U.S., in the 1950s and 1960s, while also raising awareness about this complicated page of Greek history among the Greek diaspora and the general public.

Dr. Alexiou led the conversation, bringing his extensive expertise and passion for preserving Hellenic-American history to the forefront, as Eftychia movingly shared her own story, her work with The Eftychia Project, and its mission to amplify the voices of over 4,000 Greek-born adoptees, whose stories are often lost in the broader inter-country adoption narrative.

Alex Ammohostianos, the Artistic Director of the Hellenic Cultural Center, gave the welcoming remarks and introduced the Director of the Center, Fr. Gregory Stamkopoulos who shared his greetings, noting the importance of sharing these stories of adoption, not only for Greek history but for all humanity.

Angie Xidias, founder of the Greek Elder Care Network, thanked all those for attending and pianist Basil Vasiliu for performing as the guests took their seats for the event. She noted that the event was the first HAP interview conducted live in front of an audience and then spoke about the Greek Elder Care Network, a social impact company dedicated to providing support and resources to the elderly and their families in the Greek-American community. Xidias shared her personal, family experience caring for her mother following a stroke, which led to her founding the organization. She also noted that her mother had been given up for adoption and that connection drew Xidias to The Eftychia Project and its efforts.

In the moving and informative live interview, Eftychia/Linda Carol Trotter shared her remarkable story of being adopted by an American couple in Texas, always knowing that she had been adopted, and eventually finding her birth family in Greece. She also shared some of the personal stories of Greek adoptees she has worked with and helped through the Eftychia Project, offering her insights on identity, heritage, and reunion. Trotter noted that although the adoptees share many things in common, each adoptee’s journey to finding their roots has its own challenges. Though some may have positive outcomes in reconnecting with their Greek relatives, finding their “big, fat Greek family” as Eftychia did, some have also struggled. The bureaucracy in Greece and strict privacy laws can also be daunting for adoptees trying to find their relatives and even their own documents. Eftychia noted that reaching out to government ministers and elected officials in Greece to help adoptees in their efforts, including regaining their Greek citizenship, have not been successful so far, highlighting the importance of raising awareness of the plight of adoptees worldwide. She pointed out the Eftychia Project’s events, including the adoptee reunions, and the importance of helping adoptees reconnect with Greece, the Greek language and culture, especially for those who were not adopted by Greek-Americans. When asked how she herself identifies, Eftychia said in Greek that she is Greek, ‘Ellinida.’

The event concluded with the Greek adoptees in attendance from across the country joining Eftychia onstage, introducing themselves and briefly sharing their heartbreaking and inspiring stories. A reception followed during which everyone enjoyed refreshments and had the opportunity to meet with the adoptees and continue the discussion.

The interview will join HAP’s extensive archives of the Hellenic-American experience, which is recognized by the U.S. Library of Congress.

For more information about Greek Elder Care Network, HAP, and The Eftychia Project, visit their respective websites: www.greekeldercarenetwork.com, www.hapsoc.org, and www.theeftychiaproject.org.