““What is the future of transracial adoptions
given the BLM movement?””
““Do you believe that the black adoptive motherhood
has value?””
These are just some of the questions I have been asked over the last several weeks on various podcasts. In July, I answered the question What is the Future of Transracial Adoptions. In it, I shared that “Transracial adoptive parents also need to follow up their love with ACTION. We can’t rely on our children to hold on to their black culture while we talk about being colorblind. We must see our children’s color, love it, and educate ourselves on what they need to thrive.”
But one question I have recently been asked in my DM’s and comments is “Do black and Latinx families even adopt, and if so, where are they?” There is a myth out there that black families do not adopt. A myth I believed to be true too. I’m not sure how or when it got started. I believe this has been believed to be true because we are simply not as visible. One of those reasons is because black voices aren’t amplified in a way that brings positivity.
Black and Latinx motherhood matters.
Family holiday shoot!
Jaden and I sporting our fancy rags for our annual photo shoot. He kept making me giggle!
I really needed to do some deep work and go out searching for my tribe. Women, black and brown, just like me, who have adopted and guess what? I found them. Hundreds of us have adapted to navigate trauma, grief, and loss. We know the needs of children of color and we meet them. We work hard to make sure our children are visible and valued in our culture. What we really haven’t had is the space to share these stories in a way that brings value and sheds light on what our transracial adoptive journey looks like.
The current racial climate in our country has sparked protest, but it also sparked something else. Bold conversations and partnerships in adoption that I have never seen before. This climate called black adoptive moms, like me, out of the woodwork and amplified our voices. We are now sharing bold stories of courage and resilience.
Black + Brown Adoptive Mama’s To Follow:
Some of my favorite mamas are on IG! One of them is the lovely Foster While Black an adoptive mom who fosters and shares her truth with zero filter and lots of grace. Over the years, we have walked this social media journey together and it has been so rewarding.
My most recent discovery is FAB Moms whose purpose is to create and sustain a community of Black Adoptive Moms who share connections related to race & adoption. At FAB Moms they ENVISION that black women with varying beliefs, values, & experiences will be able to support and learn from one another in a space that centers their experiences.
I too created a space for such connection here on the blog but also on my Instagram page @ligiaspeaks where I share my vulnerable, messy, honest take on motherhood, adoption, social justice parenting, and grace. I hope you will join and follow me on there too.
Our parenting matters and we have much to teach the world.
So, I became bold, and here’s what I found...black and Latino families adopt too. We have so many things that can help transracially adopted children thrive. We also struggle and in that struggle we find grace. As I connected with other black adoptive parents on IG I learned some valuable lessons:
Black and Latinx motherhood matters.
We get home studied, we train and we are assessed too.
We adopt but somehow our stories aren’t amplified.
We stepped out in faith and followed our calling too.
Our parenting matters and we have much to teach the world.
I believe that there is a great need for a formalized way for other Black and Latinx adoptive mama’s to curate a safe space to share and support one another in our journeys. I have long since dreamt of a space that allows our voices and stories to be at the center of the conversation, and a place where Black and Brown adoptive moms can retreat to for support, wisdom, and sisterhood. We hope you will join us.
