Our History

The Mixed Roots Foundation was founded and established in San Francisco, CA in May 2011 by Sung, Choon Hyang AKA Holly Choon Hyang Bachman who was adopted from South Korea by an American white family in Owatonna, MN. The concept of the organization was born earlier in 1997 after Bachman had returned from her first visit to Korea since her adoption. The objective she saw for Mixed Roots at the time was to promote diversity and multiculturalism in schools and to create a space for everyone to belong as well to share the understanding that we all have roots that run very deep and are continually growing and intermingling with one another. Soon after returning from a second trip to Korea in 2010 – where Bachman visited her orphanage, saw baby pictures for the first time, and discovered she has two birthdays – she formally established the Mixed Roots Foundation in 2011.

Today, the core beliefs in diversity and multiculturalism remains the same, but the vision of Mixed Roots has expanded to play a pivotal role in raising awareness and providing support for critical post adoption resources for the adoption and foster care community in the United States and beyond. Through guided philanthropy and grass roots fundraising locally, nationally and globally – now and as a legacy for generations to come – Mixed Roots Foundation strives to serve as a leader and champion for improving the quality of life for the millions who are touched by adoption and foster care. Following her passion for Mixed Roots over the past four years, Bachman has built a strong Board of Directors, identified the gaps that needed to be filled, created innovative programming to fill those gaps, and formed powerful relationships that have generated economic and social capital to run those programs.