We are featuring blog posts in honor of National Black History month and as a resource for transracial adoption. Adoption STAR’s First Annual African & Caribbean American Culture Day is on Saturday February 22nd from 10:30am-12:30pm, celebrating Black History Month through cultural crafts, music, foods and more. The celebration will be held at 131 John Muir Drive, Amherst, NY 14228 (see all event details here). Please call (716) 639-3900 to RSVP or email info@adoptionstar.com.
Adoption Social Worker and the newest team member in the Ohio Office, April Fong discusses transracial adoption and a series of features in the New Times Times.
For adoptive parents and expectant parents alike, there are many factors to be considered when making an adoption plan.
- What type of family do I want to raise my child?
- Do I want my child/family to live in the city, suburbs, or a more rural area?
- How will I address any special needs that my child may have?
One factor that parties should certainly consider is that of race, whether your child is raised in a family with the same racial background, different racial background, or if multiple races are present within the family.
The New York Times recently had a discussion on the role of race in adoption, with five professionals giving insight into their experiences and the historical context of this matter. Each author brings a different perspective on the strengths and challenges that come with transracial adoption:
- Kevin Noble Maillard is a law professor at Syracuse University
- J. Toni Oliver, founder of the Roots adoption agency, is the vice president of the National Association of Black Social Workers.
- Elizabeth Bartholet is the Morris Wasserstein professor of law at Harvard Law School
- Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
- Twila L. Perry is a professor of law and the Judge Alexander P. Waugh Sr. scholar at the Rutgers School of Law in Newark.
While a number of different points are presented, the heart of each article identifies the need to focus on the best interests of the child. No child or family is the same, and every child has cultural needs that will present themselves in different ways.
Whether you are considering raising a child of a different race than yourself, you are already parenting transracially, or you are trying to promote cultural competence within your family, consider ways to build your knowledge about different cultures and races. Contact Adoption STAR if you are looking for community supports, books, or other resources or if you are interested in further discussing transracial adoption.
The New York Times article can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/02/02/in-adoption-does-race-matter
And please join us for Adoption STAR’s First Annual African & Caribbean American Culture Day. This event will be held on Saturday, February 22nd from 10:30am-12:30pm and will celebrate Black History Month through cultural crafts, music, foods and more. The celebration will be held at 131 John Muir Drive, Amherst, NY 14228. Please call (716) 639-3900 to RSVP or email info@adoptionstar.com.
Read More About Transracial Adoption:
- Mentors Help Kids Thrive
- Support Services for Adoptees
- Vicarious Hair
- Cheerios Commercial Featuring a Bi-racial Family
- The Color of Us
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