“I didn’t know how to respond. I just looked at her, shocked into silence. The night I got my foster twins, I knew our life would look different to others. I knew there would be stares. But I wasn’t fully prepared for the comments that would unfold.”
‘An older woman came up to me in Publix. ‘Wow, those boys are lucky to have been chosen by a white woman.’ I was shocked into silence.’: Foster mom to twins urges ‘we need to do better’
‘I overheard Justin tell the kids, ‘You’re not allowed to scream in grocery stores. Someone might think I’m not your daddy.’: Woman details life in an interracial couple, ‘The past 12 years has been humbling’
“I notice the looks, the stares, the mean comments, the slammed doors as we approach people. When my husband and I started dating, I was nervous to introduce him to my family. He was Catholic, had a great job, and was incredibly kind. But, after all, he was black. Even though we are together, many people cannot understand it.”
‘I got pregnant. My father said I ‘ruined his reputation.’ A black family was not welcomed.’: Woman in interracial marriage says ‘my family is a symbol of unity’
“People would approach our daughter and ask if she was lost and needed help finding her mommy. We were followed and harassed by cops sometimes for miles while we drove. They demanded to know if he was a gang banger.”
‘That night I cried in my driveway for a child. 10 minutes later, I got a call. ‘Can you take in 1-year old twin boys?’: 26-year-old single foster mom says ‘I was called for plans bigger than myself’
“There I was, a single 26-year-old woman. I can’t relate to abuse. I can’t relate to being moved to 5 different foster homes in a 4-month time frame. I can’t relate to being homeless and sleeping in a car. But what I can do is wrap my arms around them, hold them, and tell them their story doesn’t end here.”
‘Why do you celebrate Black History Month, you’re white???’ I refuse to live in a world where our future grandchildren cannot play together.’: White woman explains importance of celebrating ‘black excellence’
“I’ve seen division. I’ve seen hate. I’ve seen racism come from my own white family. I do not know the future holds, but what I do know is I want to create a safe space for every black child.”
‘But do you love them as much as your biological children?’ They’re African-American, I’m Italian. My love for them is like no other.’: Couple adopts 5 children from foster care, ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way!’
“We took them in just for the weekend, but quickly fell in love. The longing to birth my own children simply went away. The love I felt for them was so strong. The social worker took us for a wild ride. She gave us an ultimatum. ‘If you don’t take the youngest sister back, I will take all 3 girls and place them in another home.'”
‘Oh, are you babysitting?’ ‘They’re mine.’ I’m a 30-year-old single black woman with 3 white kids. Love has no color in my home.’: Woman adopts 1 boy, 2 siblings from foster care, ‘Love is love’
“I heard a knock on the door. There, on my doorstep, stood this beautiful, petite little girl. ‘My name is Alexis.’ I realized she was alone. ‘Are you sure about adoption? ‘You don’t think 3 children is a lot?’ ‘You realize this means you will be financially responsible for them, right?’ I was already a single mom, what was I thinking? My heart immediately dropped. YES, YES, YES. I just couldn’t say no.”
‘It’s too soon. No one would approve.’ I met K at the wrong time. At 26, I had already been married 6 years, parented 7 children and miscarried 2 babies.’: Woman gets real about dating after divorce
“My phone vibrates in the middle of my text. It’s an unsaved number. I just stared at my phone. ALL I could think about was the tall handsome dude at the store, whom I didn’t even catch the name of.”
‘I bet you’re glad someone actually wanted you.’ Black? Adopted by a white, Mennonite family?’: Adopted woman finally accepts she’s ‘innately enough’ after years of torment for ‘mixed-race’ family
“I’m 7 when a stranger approaches, points. ‘Who does she belong to?’ ‘Where are your real parents?’ I’m 12 and a group of boys spit on me, call me racist slurs. My crush’s mom tells me he isn’t allowed to be with people ‘like me.’ I can’t sleep. ‘You’re not really black.’ ‘You can’t really be Mennonite.’ I’m just now learning to be gentle with myself, and my past.”
‘We sound like the beginning of a bad joke. A Black, Transracial, Mennonite Adoptee and a White Mennonite Midwesterner walk into a bar…’: Young woman reflects on her unique marriage
“Eight years ago, I got in a car at midnight to eat bad cheese fries at a sketchy truck stop. I took a chance to be vulnerable with someone I didn’t know. And, it changed my life.”
