Carleigh Leavitt: Family Beyond Blood

Adoption is one of the many ways families are brought together from all over the world. Junior Carleigh Leavitt was adopted from Kazakhstan, located right below Russia in Central Asia.

“I was adopted when I think I was eight or nine months old, so I was really young. My mom brought me home, and I’ve lived in Loudoun County pretty much my whole life,” Leavitt said.

Leavitt and her three siblings were all born in and adopted from different locations in Kazakhstan. 

“We’re all not biologically related, but we’re real siblings,” Leavitt said.

Growing up at home, Leavitt said her family always emphasized the value in family and being there for one another.

“The lesson I’ve always been taught growing up, especially being adopted, is that family’s family,” Leavitt said. “And we’re not biologically related. We’re still family. It doesn’t matter if you have the same blood or have the same DNA because we are all family.”

Celebrating and experiencing  her culture while also being adopted is something that has been a joy for Leavitt to share with her siblings through attending festivals held all over the United States. The celebrations are called Casa Paloozas.

“It’s where a bunch of families from Kazakhstan go and we celebrate our heritage,” Leavitt said. “And then also, it’s been nice having my siblings of course because sometimes it’s weird when I’m the only one from Kazakhstan, because it’s also a place that not a lot of people have heard of.”

Leavitt said that growing up in Loudoun County, which is 67%  white, has always had an effect on who she associates with.

“Honestly, throughout my whole life, I’ve always ended up with a lot of Asian friends,” Leavitt said. “Part of it is you’re drawn more towards people who have the same background as you being adopted. It’s nice to be able to share that same story.”

Looking to the future, Leavitt and her entire family hope to return to visit Kazakhstan together. In the upcoming fall, Leavitt is excited, but also vexed to be entering her senior year, especially when involving the discussion of college.

“One thing that’s always been really, really, aggravating for me is that when it comes to college, it can be harder to get in when you’re Asian,” Leavitt said.

  Leavitt said because of the stereotyping of Asians, college admissions hold their Asian applicants to a higher standard and expect more of them when applying to colleges to support the “model minority complex.”

“So that’s always been something that has really frustrated me growing up because I’m always scared, like ‘oh should I check the Asian box? Or are they going to see that and expect more of me,’” Leavitt said. “You know, getting declined from specific schools because I didn’t meet the Asian standard.”

Leavitt feels she faces that reality when thinking about the future and what it has in store.

“I feel like just because of my past and my culture, it is going to prevent me from completing certain goals I want to accomplish,” Leavitt said. “Yeah, that’s a controversial opinion. But it’s definitely something you’ll see in certain statistics.”

Nonetheless, Leavitt is grateful for her Asian-American heritage and holds its meaning close to her heart.

“I feel like I have two different kinds of worlds and I’m able to, you know, conquer both of them and get past roadblocks in the way of both being Asian and being American,” Leavitt said. “And it’s nice because I feel like being Asian American has set a challenge for me but also the challenge has made it even more victorious when I get through certain lines, challenges in being Asian American.” 

Being able to play the role of both an Asian and an American is something that Leavitt takes pride in.

“To be able to have both cultures behind me and be able to represent, you know, two sides, even though sometimes I feel like I don’t fit in to Asian or American,” Leavitt said. “I’m able to just represent and be happy about being part of two different cultures rather than feeling like I’m separated.”