Sandy White Hawk was adopted by a white family as a child, but eventually returned home to the Rosebud Sioux reservation and reconnected with her roots. This inspired her to help other Native Americans who had been adopted or lived with foster families to reconnect with their own cultures. Historically, Native American children being adopted by white families or fostered by non-Native families has been attributed to children being removed from their homes, particularly to attend boarding schools.
Source: Marcie Rendon. “Welcome Home.” Minnesota Women’s Press. http://www.womenspress.com/Content/Features/Profile/Article/Welcome-home/1/20/4962