Alex Gilbert (adoption advocate)

Alex Gilbert
Gilbert in 2023
Born
Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich
(Changed to Sasha Alexander Gilbert)

(1992-04-01) 1 April 1992 (age 32)
Arkhangelsk, Russia
NationalityRussian New Zealander
Years active2011–present
YouTube information
ChannelsAlex Gilbert
Years active2014–present
Genre(s)Adoption
Vlogs
Subscribers30.3 thousand
Total views5.4 million
Alex Gilbert's voice
recorded April 2023 for BBC World Service
Last updated: July 24, 2024
Websitealexgilbert.co.nz and imadopted.org

Sasha Alexander Gilbert (Russian: Саша Александр "Алекс" Гилберт; born 1 April 1992) is a Russian-born New Zealand adoption advocate, writer and media presenter, and is the founder of the organisation I'm Adopted[1][2][3] which he established in 2015.[4][5]

Gilbert, whose name at birth is Gusovskoi Alexander Viktorovich,[6] was born in Arkhangelsk, where he was placed in a local orphanage for the first two years of his life until 1994, when he was adopted by his New Zealand parents. In 2013, Gilbert started searching for and located his Russian genetic parents, with whom he had no connection; his genetic father did not know about Gilbert's existence until Gilbert contacted him in 2013.[7][8][9]

In 2015, Gilbert established the organisation I'm Adopted, a support network for adoptees. Gilbert has been nominated for several awards for his adoption work, including Young New Zealander of the Year in 2018 and New Zealander of the Year in 2020.[10][11]

Gilbert has made several appearances on television shows and documentaries about international adoption, and has written two books.[12][13] Besides advocacy, Gilbert has worked in media and television, and regularly publishes videos to his YouTube channel.[14]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Hurley, Sam (22 August 2015). "Whangarei boy who traced Russian roots helps fellow Kiwi adoptees find bloodlines". tvnz.co.nz. TVNZ – One News. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  3. ^ "BBC World Service - Global News Podcast, The Happy Pod: Back to class for Afghan girls". BBC. Begins 5:51. 8 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ^ "Reunited - TVNZ". www.tvnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ Else, Anne (27 February 2023). A Question of Adoption: Closed Stranger Adoption in New Zealand 1944–1974 and Adoption, State Care, Donor Conception and Surrogacy 1975–2022. Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 978-1-991033-37-6.
  6. ^ "How a Kiwi tracked down his birth parents via social media". RadioLIVE. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  7. ^ Nortorn, Hannah (18 August 2014). "From Russia with Love". The Northern Advocate Herald.co.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  8. ^ "To Russia with Love – TVNZ". TVNZ. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  9. ^ Ihaka, James (5 April 2014). "Russian roots reveal childhood links". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :19 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Воспитанники специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии · Новости Архангельска и Архангельской области. Пресс-центр Правительства Архангельской области". dvinanews.ru. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Министерство здравоохранения Архангельской области :: Воспитанники Специализированного дома ребенка получили подарки из Новой Зеландии". www.minzdrav29.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Alex Gilbert - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.