As an adoptee, Michelle Madrid-Branch describes her journey to becoming a parent with two adopted children of her own. Through her experiences, Michelle emphasizes that the idea of a family should be shaped purely by love and not by the traditional notions of geographical borders, genetic makeup, or religion. Michelle is an author, speaker, international adoptee, and global advocate for women and children; specializing in the areas of adoption, foster care, abandonment recovery, and identity reconciliation. Her mission is to ensure that the adoption community is heard, seen, valued, respected, and understood.

As the Host of "The Greater Than Podcast," Michelle focuses on the strength and resilience of the human spirit. She shares stories of triumph over challenge and asks the question, "What is the internal drive that urges a person to move beyond struggle and stand greater than the very obstacle that tried to keep them down?"

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx.