A person is not just one thing. Each of us is a collection of experiences and stories.
I am a resident of Portland, Oregon. I am American. I am a product of the University City, Missouri public school system. I also am one of billions of people who call this great planet Earth home. I also am a very proud Finnish-American, who can trace his roots to Finland from the late 1700s.
I earned my BA from Reed College, an MA in journalism from UNC-CH, and an MPH from the University of Washington School of Public Health. Professionally, I am an international affairs, communications, public affairs, and public health professional. I have been a lifelong athlete, with a passion for endurance sports. I also am an accomplished and published photographer. In May 2018, I became an author. I also am a Finnish-American who has recently connected with his wider Finnish kin network in 2023 in Finland, a place that consistently ranks as one of the most caring and innovative nations for years in global rankings generated by the United Nations.
My memoir, You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are: An Adoptee’s Journey through the American Adoption Experience, critically examines the history of the U.S. adoption system and uses sociological, biological, and other research to highlight how the creation of families from non-related persons undermines humans’ innate drive to know ourselves and promote the interests of our blood kin.
Visit my book website for additional essays on adoption, legal issues surrounding the denial rights to U.S. adoptees, and resources for journalists, policymakers, and those impacted by this system. The book is in paperback and ebook. Buy a copy and learn more about the hidden and little understood world I uncover in this first-of-its-kind nonfiction work.
I have been a photographer and visual storyteller all of my adult and professional life. My rudyfoto.com photography website features essays and images covering topics such as human rights and urban policy, with images I took in the United States and around the world. You can sample my travel writing with photo essays of my stories here.
Many of my pictures were formerly published on this site and moved to my photography website in the fall 2019.
Please also visit my photography blog, called What Beautiful Light, where I have been telling stories with my images for years. It features original photographs and videos and commentary on current events, travel, culture, politics, history, and more.
In 2019, I put my policy blog, Rudyowensblog.com, to rest. However, I am keeping all of the content available because of the global interest in my posts and commentary on topics from public health to history to adoption. My most recent articles and essays can be found on the website for my public health memoir on the U.S. adoption experience.
Please contact me to share your feedback. I can also be followed through my Twitter account. I look forward to hearing from you.
(Last updated March 2024)