Book: "In Their Voices: Black Americans on Transracial Adoption"

While many proponents of transracial adoption claim that American society is increasingly becoming "color-blind," a growing body of research reveals that for transracial adoptees of all backgrounds, racial identity does matter. Rhonda M. Roorda elaborates significantly on that finding, specifically studying the effects of the adoption of black and biracial children by white parents. She incorporates diverse perspectives on transracial adoption by concerned black Americans of various ages, including those who lived through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era. All her interviewees have been involved either personally or professionally in the lives of transracial adoptees, and they offer strategies for navigating systemic racial inequalities while affirming the importance of black communities in the lives of transracial adoptive families.

In Their Voices is for parents, child-welfare providers, social workers, psychologists, educators, therapists, and adoptees from all backgrounds who seek clarity about this phenomenon. The author examines how social attitudes and federal policies concerning transracial adoption have changed over the last several decades. She also includes suggestions on how to revise transracial adoption policy to better reflect the needs of transracial adoptive families.

Perhaps most important, In Their Voices is packed with advice for parents who are invested in nurturing a positive self-image in their adopted children of color and the crucial perspectives those parents should consider when raising their children. It offers adoptees of color encouragement in overcoming discrimination and explains why a "race-neutral" environment, maintained by so many white parents, is not ideal for adoptees or their families.

Transracial Adoption: Expert Advice If You’re Adopting Transracially

The following article is taken from the America Adopts blog.



Posted by Lawrence on Thursday, July 25, 2013

 

Thanks to high profile adoptions by Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Madonna and other celebrities, transracial adoption has been into the spotlight.  About 40% of all adoptions in the United States today are transracial.

But how easy is it to raise a child of a different race? Are there special considerations that need to be taken? Should he or she be parented in the same way as any other child?

 

When it comes to transracial adoption, many people go into the process thinking that love is enough — it can fix everything. Others, however, argue that not only does this approach not do children any favors. It can also cause them irreparable harm.

 

Recently I had a chance to talk to Krista McCoy about what adoptive parents, birth parents and adoption professionals need to know about raising children who have been adopted across racial lines.

 

To read the full article click HERE.

Webinar: Transracial Adoption: Becoming a Multicultural/Multiracial Family

Alliance Webinar Series

The Christian Alliance for Orphans Webinar Series is designed to help individuals like you create and grow effective adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry in local churches.

You're Invited....
Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Time: 1:00 PM Central
Topic: Transracial Adoption: Becoming a Multicultural/Multiracial Family

Host Church: Bethlehem Baptist Church


Presenters: Maridel Sandberg, Bethlehem Baptist Church & Jaclyn Skalnik, Bethany Christian Church

This webinar will highlight both joys and challenges of expanding a family through trans-racial adoption—including social understandings of race, ethnicity, nationality and culture. We will explore both positive and difficult issues related to the life-long consequences of adoption, and offer tangible suggestions to help a church community embrace and support multi-racial families.

Each 60-minute webinar in this series will give local advocates access to the knowledge and experience of top Alliance member churches and organizations nationwide, covering key topics on adoption, foster care and/or global orphan care. Every webinar will be hosted by a local church orphan ministry and co-presented by one or more national experts on the subject matter. This pairing will deliver a combination of specialist information and resources alongside a “here’s how it works in a real church” perspective.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org/resources/webinars/

Transracial Adoption

The following post is written by Justin Taylor, blogger for Between Two Worlds and The Gospel Coalition.

We don’t regard our transracial adoption as something especially noble or sacrificial, or anything like a social statement. This is simply the way that God in his providence has designed our family to expand, and we sense his great grace in the way he has knit our family together.

But some people still wonder if transracial adoption is all that wise. What if they are called names in school? What if their friends tell our children that my wife and I are not his “real” mommy and daddy? What if our kids have an identity crisis, unable to figure out who they really are?

All of these things may indeed happen with our children. But the truth is, all of our children are going to face various forms of challenges, and we simply cannot predict with any degree of certainty what particular obstacles they will deal with. Nor can we prevent all of them.

Will our kids be eloquent and persuasive, or stammer with stage fright? Will they be the star athletes, or the class klutzes? Will they be leaders or followers? Trend setters or always one step behind? Will they be healthy or sickly? Will they be mocked for following Christ and swimming against the culture stream? We simply don’t know, and there usually does not seem to be much purpose in planning our lives around the minimization of challenges we cannot control.

It’s important to recognize that in the midst of talking about spiritual adoption, Paul listed a requirement of kingdom citizens who are to be heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—we will receive an inheritance “provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:17). To be a Christian is a call to suffer: “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). If we’re surprised at suffering then it’s because we haven’t read our Bibles closely enough: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Pet. 4:12). If a disciple wants to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master, then we are going to be maligned like Jesus was (see Matt. 10:25).

Now with all of this said, no one wants to create situations of undue suffering for their children. There are times when transracial adoption may be unwise. For example, we have American friends who are in the adoption process and who will be serving in cross-cultural missions in the Middle East. Being an African American child in a white family in an Islamic country that already stigmatizes adoption would be exceedingly difficult.

As long as sin remains—this side of the return of Christ and the ushering in of the news heavens and the new earth—racism will remain. There is virtue neither in overstating or unstating this reality. But the idea of having qualms about transracial adoption (or interracial marriage) because it will create opportunities for more racial prejudice doesn’t ultimately make a lot of sense. As John Piper has commented, “It’s like the army being defeated because there aren’t enough troops, and the troops won’t sign up because the army’s being defeated.”