“I wish she understood, ‘It’s important to watch him sleep, even if it means staying up a few minutes more.’ I wish I hugged her, because the empty space she felt when he was gone would soon be regularly vacant.”
‘Be more patient with him when he cries.’: Mom shares trials of co-parenting, ‘Love them enough to let go sometimes’
‘Through tears, she said, ‘Tell her I love her. Tell her I didn’t give her away because I didn’t want her.’: Mom of 5 shares powerful open adoption, ‘We’ll forever be grateful for her sacrificial love’
“They were both crying when we walked in. I knew in that moment, I’d spend the rest of my days championing the courageous story of this woman.”
‘Where do YOU come from?’ I hated those questions. I was the ‘token brown girl.’ THIS is why representation matters.’: Adoptee finds strength in sharing story, ‘Families can look different’
“It wasn’t something I talked about. It made me feel different, what every child DOESN’T want. I only wanted to play with white dolls with blonde hair. I stopped telling people the truth. I had SO many questions about my identity.”
‘The house had no roof or door. He was lying on a towel. ‘You should adopt him!’ He was abandoned with his sisters.’: Couple adopts siblings after missionary work
“‘Can I hold him?’ I went in with an open heart, not knowing what to expect, and my heart came back full. I HAD to do something.”
‘He’s different from the others. You know what I mean.’ We woke to a noose hanging in our yard.’: Military wife talks difficulties of interracial relationship, ‘We all need to speak up’
“When we traveled together, the flight attendant asked us and ONLY us if we belonged together. They see a black man. They don’t know he spent half of his life serving this nation.”
‘Oh, that poor baby! Why don’t you do something with her nappy hair?’ The other kids weren’t allowed to play with me, the ‘little mixed girl.’: Mom to bi-racial family details experiences with racism
“My mom always carried a brush and detangler. She still carries them with her everywhere she goes, 26 years later. I remember sitting on the floor in my living room, my mom meticulously brushing for hours, crying because of the comments. I wanted to be like the other kids. ‘This is just the way it is, honey.'”
‘Are you going to buy that book?’ An employee walked over to me. ‘You can’t stand here and read it, you have to put it down.’: Woman details personal experiences with racism, ways to help
“‘Are you kidding me?’ I looked around at the others doing the same exact thing. ‘So, it’s OK for them to stand and read, but I can’t?’ She smugly said, ‘YEP.’ I started shaking.”
‘I wish it was as simple as LOVE ONE ANOTHER. It is time to say enough is enough.’: Mom to bi-racial family urges for ‘peace and protection for all’
“When she was put into my arms almost 23 years ago, the only thing I saw was a beautiful baby with huge eyes and the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen. In these times of sadness and heartbreak, I am reminded my daughter’s skin isn’t just a beautiful color of brown, but the reason she may not be as safe as I am.”
‘My children have white privilege. The skin tone hides their true identity and background.’: Mom to bi-racial family says ‘they will be major allies in this fight’
“They never know what it feels to be like their daddy. BECAUSE their daddy is brown.”
‘A nosy man focused too much on race. I lost my patience. ‘I have so many kids because I sleep around a lot.’ He whipped his gaze over to my husband in shock.’: Couple with biological kids adopt 2 more, ‘My soul knew these souls’
“‘If you have more children, you could spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair.’ I can still hear those words echoing in my ears. There was no panic. Just calm. They didn’t even come with a photo. We didn’t need a photo to be drawn to the baby boy and his toddler sister looking for their family. They ran right to us and gave us big hugs. They are my babies, they always have been and they always will be.”
